/ 


\9C0i^^f-'h^f>^    ^^  «^^^^^>- 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT   LOS  ANGELES 


« 


A  CRUISE  ON  BOARD 


OF  THE 


U.  S.  SHIPS  LEVANT,  PORTSMOUTH,  AND  SAVANNAH. 
BY  W.  MAXWELL  WOOD,  M.D. 


/ 

WANDERING   SKETCHES 


OF  PEOPLE  AND  THINGS 


SOUTH  AMERICA,  POLYNESIA,  CALIFORNIA, 

AND  OTHER  PLACES  VISITED, 


A  CRUISE  ON  BOARD  OF  THE 
U.  S.  SHIPS  LEVANT,  PORTSMOUTH,  AND  SAVANNAH. 


BY  WM.  MAXWELL  WOOD,  M.D., 

SURGEON  U.  S.  NAVY, 

LATE  FLEET  SURGEON  OF  THE  PACIFIC  SQUADKON, 


PniLADELPniA: 
PUBLISHED  BY  CAREY  AND  HART. 

1849. 


Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1849,  by 

CAREY  AND  HART,' 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Eastern  District 
of  Pennsylvania. 


PHILADELPHIA  . 
T.  K.  AND  P.  a,  COLLINS,  PRINTERS. 


en 

CO 

S  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 


Going  to  sea — Chance  voyagers  and  old  cruisers — Human  nature 
at  sea — The  shark  and  sailors — Mother  Carey's  chickens. 

13—19 


■-I  CHAPTER  n. 

36  Arrival  at  Rio — ^The  empire — ^Beautiful  scenery— The  city — Shops 

§  and  churches — Negroes  carrying  burdens — Laborers  and  ped- 

lers.  ......        20 — 28 


CHAPTER  HI. 

Lying  notes — Spartan  coin — Religious  processions — Negro  saint — 
Funerals — Monasteries — Surrounding  scenery — Political  history 
and  prospects.  .  .  .  .  .         29 — 36 


CHAPTER  IV. 

"  Going  round  the  Horn" — Pacific  Ocean — Valparaiso — Buildings 
and  people— Markeu.  ....         37 — 42 


2(>07"r3 


VI  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   V. 

Land  of  the  Iiicas — Origin  of  the  Incas — Callao — Picante  shop — 
Chicha — Pic-nic  at  Old  Callao — Peruvian  breakfast — Earthquake 
— Start  for  Lima.     .....         43 — 54 


CHAPTER  VL 

Road  to  Lima — ^Equestrian  costume — Peasant  women — Lima — 
Houses — Convents — Plaza — Public  buildings — Foundling  hospi- 
tal— Museum — Market — Chirimoya — Marketing  friar.    55 — 66 


CHAPTER  Vn. 

Sajra-y-Manto — ^Dress  and  morals — Lottery  ticket  venders — Lottery 
draviring — Gambling  propensity.      .  .  .         67 — 74 


CHAPTER  VHL 

Sunday  in  Lima — Pantheon  car — Religious  procession — Beautiful 
scene  —  Old  bridge — The  Host — Almas  —  The  Amancaes  — 
Alameda — Descalsos.  .  '  .  .  .         75 — 88 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Bull-bait  procession — Place  of  contest — The  fight — Death  of  the 
bull — Slow  murder — The  felon — Oracion.      .         .         89 — 99 


CHAPTER  X. 

Peruvian  revolutions — Domingo  Elias — South  American  republics 
— Monarchy  and  republicanism — Sources  of  evil — The  boatswain 
and  the  president.  ....  100 — 108 


CONTENTS.  tii 


CHAPTER   XI. 

r«mple  of  the  Sun — Bad  fit  out — Chorillos — The  desert — A  coun- 
tryman— The  temple — Valley  of  Lurin — Don  Jorge — Hacienda 
— Lodging-room.  ....         109 — 121! 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Ruins  of  the  Temple — ^Tombs  and  relics — Products  of  art — 
Mummy  coverings — Mystical  bags — Early  history  of  the  Temple 
— Redress  our  wrongs.     ....         122 — 131 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  Balsa — Passing  breakers — Huacos — Hen-egg  currency — Payta 
— Guayaquil  bats — The  patriot's  death.  .  .         132 — 142 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Arrival  at  the  Marquesas — Native  costume — Tattooing — Scenery 
— Native  dwellings — Council-house — Royal  visit — Marquesan 
character— French  dominion — Arrival  at  Hawaii — Missionary 
influence — The  Governor  of  Hawaii — Fall  of  the  rainbow — 
Native  schools.     .....         143 — 159 


CHAPTER   XV. 

Volcano  of  Kilouea — Preparations — Gourd  trunks — Shore  and  ship 
— Forest  path — Lava  path — Half-way  house — Lorai-lomi— 
Lu-au — Sacred  berries — The  volcano— Night  view — Dangerous 
ground — Descent  to  tlie  crater — Black  ledge — Burning  lake- 
Hair  of  Pe-le — Native  family  worship — Honest  Indians — Mis- 
sionaries. .....         160 — 188 


Viii  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Honolulu — The  Pali — Chiefs'   school — Tea    party — Traditionary 
historians — Dog  feast — Saturday  and  Sabbath..    .         189 — 198 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

United  States  and  Sandwich  Islands — Missionary  influence — Order 
of  French  consul — Code  of  etiquette — British  protest — Agitating 
influences — Diplomatic  troubles.  .  .         199 — 211 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Californian  annexation — Prediction  of  Mr.  Huskisson — Arrival  at 
Monterey  —  The  town  —  Natural  soap  —  Frijoles  —  General 
Micheltoreno — Ofiicial  visit — Settlers — Captain  Suter — Captain 
Graham — ^Dancing — Las  once — Morning  calls — Mexican  gar- 
rison.        ......         212—239 

CHAPTER   XIX. 

Starting  for  a  rancho — The  road — The  rancho — Don  J.  G. — ^The 
dwelling — The  household  supper — Sam's  arrival — Visiting — 
Compadres  and  comadres — Alvarado — A  countryman — Good 
shooting — More  arrivals.  .  .  .         240 — 259 

CHAPTER   XX. 

Missions — Mission  of  San  Juan — Padre  church — Dinner — Prepar- 
ing for  a  ball — The  musicians — La  son — Improvising. 

260—27? 


CHAPTER  XXI. 
The  beginning  of  the  end — Revolution — Sunday  at  the  mission — 


CONTENTS.  ix 

More  of  the  revolution — Last  night  at  the  mission— Departure 
— Foraging — Return  to  Monterey — Mexicans  march  out,  and  in 
again — Leave  Monterey.  .  .  .         273 — 287 


CHAPTER  XXIL 

Mazatlan — Smuggling  commerce— Money  smuggling — Disgrace- 
ful proceedings — Laws  required — New  Year's  festivities- 
Gambling — Murder — Peace  or  vt^ar  —  Manzanilla — Acapulco 
— The  bay — Idle  living — Castle — Mixed  languages — A  govern- 
or landlord — Neighbors — Gertrudes — Chivalry  or  money — Cal- 
ifbrnian  expedition — A  small  war — Peace  restored — Tempest 
and  earthquake — Testament — Enthusiasm — Secret — Tobacco. 

288—306 


CHAPTER  XXHL 

Gtilf  of  California — Dangerous  navigation — Guaymas— Another 
revolution — Wild  Indians — Start  for  Hermorilla — Traveling  con- 
veyance— Don  Juachin* — Mozos  and  coachmen — Serape — In- 
dian hut — An  addition  to  the  party — Primitive  carving,  and  gen- 
teel eating — The  pozo^A  runaway — Un  Rico^Hermorilla-— 
Agreeable  quarters— -Urrea's  bride— The  doctor  and  the  govern- 
or— Leave  Hermorilla — Lady  traveler — Who's  master — A  dead 
baby — A  difference  of  opinion — Return  to  Mazatlan — More 
about  money-smuggling — Another  revolution.      .         307 — 337 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Uncertainties — More   revolutions — The  President's   Message — A 
threatened  execution — Attempted  assassination — The  Jew  and 


•  This  name,  pronounced  Wah-kin,  ii  most  correctly  written  Juaquin, 
or  Joaquin.  The  error  is  from  inadvertence,  not  of  the  author,  but  of  a 
friend  who  read  the  proof  for  him. 


CONTENTS. 


the  Christian — War  excitement — A  panic — Start  for  the  United 
States — Horse  equipment — Loading  mules — Weapons  of  war — 
Last  look  at  the  Pacific — Arrive  at  Tepic — Mr.  Forbes — Cotton 
factory.     ......         338—365 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

War  at  last — Awkward  situation — An  express  to  the  Pacific — 
Leave  Guadalaxara — Coachmen's  costume — Fonda  rules — The 
road  —  Robbers  —  Guanajuato  —  More  robbers  —  Queretaro— 
More  war  news — Soap  currency — Fighting  policy  vetoed — 
Halls  of  the  Montezumas  —  Anxieties — Victory — Leperos — 
Chapultepec — ^Leave  Mexico~Vera-Cruz — Escape  the  country. 

366— 38G 


WANDERING  SKETCHES 


IN 


SOUTH  AMERICA,  POLYNESIA,  CALIFORNIA, 

ETC.  ETC. 


CHAPTER    I. 

Going  to  sea — Chance  voyagers  and  old  cruisers — Human  nature 
at  sea — The  shark  and  sailors — Mother  Carey's  chickens. 

I  FOUND  myself,  in  mj  oflficial  capacity,  on  board 
of  one  of  our  public  vessels,  at  a  time  when  our 
peaceful  relations  with  foreign  powers  threatened 
to  be  disturbed. 

Oregon  and  Texas  were  the  apples  of  discord — 
our  great  mother  over  the  ocean  and  our  great 
republican  neighbor  being  our  threatened  compe- 
titors. The  ship  to  which  I  was  attached  was 
destined  to  await  events  in  the  Pacific  Ocean.  It 
is  not  my  purpose  to  write  over  again  the  thousand 
times  told  and  monotonous  incidents  of  a  sea-voy- 
age, for  acquaintance  with  which  ample  scope  and 
2 


14  GOING  TO  SEA. 

verge  enough  might  be  found  in  a  journey  of  such 
length  and  duration. 

Travelers  to  whom  voyaging  by  sea  is  an  incident 
in  their  lives,  and  not  their  habit  of  existence, 
have  again  and  again  described  the  events  of  their 
new  situation,  with  such  minuteness  of  detail,  that 
one  may  sit  at  home  in  his  arm-chair  and  grow  sea- 
sick from  sympathy.  It  is  somewhat  singular, 
too,  that,  notwithstanding  the  honest,  unsenti- 
mental, sea-sick  reception  which  old  ocean  gives 
all  new  comers,  he  has  managed  by  his  darkly, 
deeply,  beautifully  blue  face,  to  win  an  amount  of 
poetical  description  of  a  "life  on  the  ocean  wave" 
entertaining  enough  in  the  parlor,  but,  to  the  ini- 
tiated, in  rather  strong  contrast  with  the  realities 
of  shipboard  truth. 

Much  acquaintance  with  this  extensive  portion 
of  our  planet,  does  not  induce  us  to  accord  it  the 
best  character.  Often  we  have  found  it  heaving 
and  swelling  in  a  sullen  calm,  when  it  should  have 
been  lively  and  cheerful;  and  then,  without  a  mo- 
ment's warning,  roaring,  pitching,  and  foaming, 
tossing  the  voyager  out  of  his  track,  and  deluging 
him  in  angry  waves. 

The  man  who  goes  to  sea  for  a  temporary  voy- 
age can  afford  to  be  pleased  even  with  annoyances. 


GOING  TO  SEA.  15 

which  add  novelty  and  variety  to  his  existence. 
But  he  who  goes  to  sea  as  a  matter  of  usage  and 
business,  to  dwell  on  shipboard  a  period  of  time 
which  is  a  large  portion  of  his  life,  must  do  vio- 
lence to  all  his  tastes  and  habits.  When  he  finds 
himself  part  of  a  ship  for  a  long  voyage  or  cruise, 
he  goes  systematically  to  work  to  adapt  himself  to 
his  unnatural  condition ;  he  prepares  himself  for 
meeting  on  the  best  terms  the  annoyances  of  his 
position;  compresses  himself  and  his  possessions 
into  his  necessarily  small  allotment  of  the  small 
world  about  him ;  divests  himself,  if  he  can,  of  all 
peculiarities ;  cushions  himself  in  the  moral  uni- 
form of  concession,  which  all  must  wear  who  live 
with  their  elbows  sticking  in  their  neighbor's  sides. 

In  this  little  world,  cut  off  from  the  great,  small 
matters  grow  into  magnitude; — rays  of  light, 
mouthfuls  of  air,  and  inches  of  space,  have  a  very 
different  value  to  that  placed  upon  them  where 
every  one  can  take  what  he  chooses  without  inter- 
fering with  another.  The  trained  cruiser  takes 
on  his  shipboard  character  whenever  he  installs 
himself  in  his  ironically  called  state-room — a  little 
box  six  feet  square,  a  close  dungeon  below  the  light. 

New  beginners  at  sea-going  sometimes  do  not 
find  out  that  they  have  no  right  to  notions  of  their 


16  GOING  TO  SEA. 

own  until  they  have  ended  the  first  voyage  by  fir- 
ing bullets  at  each  other,  and  medical  philosophers 
are  beginning  to  proclaim  that  human  nature  is, 
at  sea,  in  a  state  of  physical  and  moral  disease, 
which  entirely  changes  the  character  of  the  indi- 
vidual. I  can  readily  accord  in  this  view ;  for  I 
have  seen  those  who,  in  the  "  world's  broad  field 
of  battle,"  were  content  to  be  the  meek,  the  un- 
pretending, and  the  humble,  on  board  ship  become 
the  arrogant,  pretending,  and  assuming;  playing 
the  mock  hero  where  there  was  no  competitor.  We 
are  told  by  these  same  medical  writers,  in  confirma- 
tion of  their  theory,  that  residents  at  the  ports 
which  are  stopping-places  for  ships  on  long  voyages, 
are  amused  by  the  earnestness  with  which  the  tem- 
porarily released  passengers  fly  to  difi'erent  houses, 
and  will  not  sleep  under  the  same  roof  with  each 
other. 

Provisions  all  in,  chickens  cooped,  pigs  and  sheep 
penned,  our  ship  "took  the  bone  in  her  mouth," 
and  walked  away  from  home  to  other  scenes  and 
climes.  I  do  not  speak  without  authority  when  I 
say,  "took  the  bone  in  her  mouth,"  as  this  is  the 
nautical  figure  for  the  white  foam  which  is  dashed 
so  beautifully  from  the  bows  of  a  ship  as  she  speeds 
her  way  through  the  water. 


SAILORS  AND  SHARKS.  17 

About  a  week  out,  we  had  some  rousing  up  of 
human  emotion  by  the  report  that  we  had  passed 
a  sealed  jug,  having  a  red  rag  tied  to  it,  and  in- 
crusted  with  barnacles.  The  ship  was  laid  to,  and 
a  boat  sent  in  search  of  the  jug,  but  returned 
■without  having  been  able  to  find  it,  and  thus  we 
were  left  a  wide  field  for  the  wanderings  of  con- 
jecture. It  might  be  a  messenger  from  the  lost 
Grampus ;  perhaps  from  the  unfortunate  President ; 
or  even  from  the  long-lost  Hornet.  The  occasional 
capture  of  a  shark  was  a  great  event,  and  one  of 
general  interest.  The  sea  monster  was  either  par- 
celed out  as  food  to  those  not  over  fastidious,  or, 
being  in  a  spirit  of  revenge,  disemboweled,  was 
in  this  condition  returned  to  his  native  element. 
A  sailor,  however  generous  and  affectionate  to  other 
animals,  hates  a  shark.  This  fish  is  His  constant 
enemy.  If,  falling  overboard,  he  might  save  his 
life  by  skillful  swimming,  the  shark  floats  between 
him  and  hope.  But  this  accidental  danger  is  not 
the  only  source  of  Jack's  hostility;  for,  if  quietly 
anchored  in  port,  on  a  pleasant  night,  he  sees  the 
twinkling  lights  of  some  neighboring  town,  and 
his  imagination  wanders  to  where  the  merry  fiddle, 
the  dance,  and  grog,  are  enlivening  a  well-known 
'^  sailors  retreat,"  these  temptations  might  induce 


18  MOTHER  Carey's  chickens. 

him  to  slip  clandestinely  through  a  port-hole,  and 
to  desert,  at  least  for  a  time,  his  ship.  But  the 
yawning  jaws  of  this  noiseless  and  relentless  water- 
guard  are  between  him  and  his  frolic,  and  the  shark 
does  not  appear  to  the  sailor  in  his  most  agreeable 
character  when  thus  volunteering  to  act  the  part 
of  a  "  sentry,"  a  "  soger,"  and  a  "  marine." 

Not  the  least  interesting  of  the  frequent  visitors 
of  a  ship  at  sea,  is  the  stormy  petrel,  or,  as  they 
are  called  by  sailors,  "Mother  Carey's  chickens." 
All  over  the  Atlantic,  at  the  most  remote  distance 
from  land,  this  little  bird  is  seen  flying  in  the  foam- 
ing crest  of  the  stormy  waves,  or,  when  the  sea  is 
smooth,  following  the  ship  in  flocks,  resting,  appa- 
rently, its  tiny  feet  upon  the  surface  of  the  water, 
and  picking  up  the  crumbs  thrown  overboard. 

"  Dark  is  her  wing,  her  breast  is  snowj 
She  flits  above,  she  darts  below — 

The  wave  her  only  pillow; 
Rides  on  the  wind  her  tiny  form. 
She  greets  the  gale,  she  hails  the  storm, 

And  mocks  the  dancing  billow." 

Superstition  spreads  her  guardian  wings  over 
these  little  wanderers,  and  to  inflict  injury  upon 
them  is,  in  a  sailor's  opinion,  to  rouse  the  ire  of 
some  imaginary  protection,  perhaps  "Mother  Ca- 
rey" herself,  and  to  call  down  storms  and  disasters. 


HEAD  WINDS.  19 

During  our  passage,  nature  seemed  to  have  turned 
topsy-turvy;  where  geographers  put  trade  winds 
there  were  no  trade  winds,  and  where  there  ought, 
according  to  all  scientific  rule,  to  have  been  calms 
and  light  winds,  the  winds  were  fresh  and  ahead. 


20  *  ARRIVAL  AT  RIO. 


CHAPTER    II. 

Arrival  at  Rio — The  empire — ^Beautiful  scenery — The  city — Shops 
and  churches — Negroes  carrying  burdens — Laborers  and  pedlers. 

A  PATiENCE-wearing  passage  of  seventy  days 
brought  us  to  the  harbor  of  the  capital  of  the  Bra- 
zilian empire.  This  solitary  empire  and  emperor 
upon  the  American  continent,  seem  strange  and 
out  of  place,  like  an  exotic  living  a  forced  and  ar- 
tificial existence.  But  here  we  were  within  the 
glitter  of  an  imperial  crown,  and  near  to  princely 
palaces  and  their  lordly  owners. 

But  it  must  be  admitted  that  an  empire  of  five 
millions  of  motley  population,  spread  over  a  terri- 
tory larger  than  that  of  the  United  States,  is  not 
a  very  splendid  embodiment  of  the  monarchical 
principle ;  and  in  this  region,  nature,  by  the  mag- 
nificence of  all  her  kingdoms,  seems  to  mock  the 
petty  pomp  by  which  human  organization  endeavors 
to  elevate  man's  littleness.  • 

Over  two  months  at  sea  might  beget  a  capacity 
to  appreciate  the  beauties  of  a  sandy  island,  or  even 


BAY  OF  RIO.  ^1 

those  of  a  tolerably  sized  rock;  hence  the  magni- 
ficent beauties  of  the  harbor  of  Rio  burst  upon  us 
with  our  senses  quickened  to  the  highest  degree  of 
appreciation.  Having  passed  through  the  compa- 
ratively narrow  entrance  by  which  the  Atlantic 
communicates  with  the  Bay  of  Rio,  guarded  on  the 
one  hand  by  the  remarkable  Sugar-Loaf  Mountain, 
and  on  the  other  by  a  corresponding  rocky  promon- 
tory, this  broad  bay  expanded  before  us  with  a  cir- 
cumference of  eighty  mile^;  its  circuit  broken  by 
jutting  points  into  numerous  minor  bays  and  pretty 
little  coves  and  recesses,  and  its  surface  gemmed 
with  many  green  islets.  Villages  and  country  seats 
are  nestled  away  on  the  shores  of  the  coves  and 
recesses;  fortifications  and  other  structures  nre 
resting  upon  the  islands.  .Steamers  were  urging 
their  foaming  way  to  and  fro  aci'oss  the  bay,  while 
hundreds  of  small  boats  with  gracefully  pointed 
sails  were  gliding  in  every  direction  over  its  sur- 
face. The  whole  is  encompassed  by  a  chain  of 
mountains,  shooting  its  irregular  summits  to  the 
clouds,  and  presenting  prominent  points  to  which 
fancy  has  given  names.  Conspicuous  on  the  left 
of  the  harbor  are  the  "  Corcovado,"  or  crow's  beak, 
and  the  "Peak  of  Tejuco,"  a  finely  pointed  cone. 


22 


RIO. 


At  the  upper  end  of  the  bay,  a  range  of  angular 
columns  are  seen,  called  the  "  Organ  Mountains." 

On  the  left  hand,  as  the  bay  is  entered,  and 
about  two  miles  from  its  mouth,  stands  the  city  of 
Rio.  It  is  built  upon  a  plain,  closely  encircled  by 
hills,  several  of  which  also  elevate  their  green  sides 
from  amid  the  houses  clustered  around  their  base. 
From  the  summits  of  those  surrounding,  and  mid 
city  hills,  steepled  churches,  grated  convents,  and 
gloomy  monasteries,  look  down  upon  the  dwelling- 
plaees  of  a  population  of  two  hundred  thousand 
people. 

Standing  so  much  on  a  plain,  and  winding  around 
the  bases  of  hills,  Rio,  from  the  harbor,  has  nothing 
imposing  in  its  appearance,  and  gives  no  adequate 
idea  of  its  size  and  extent.  The  entrance  to  the 
city  from  the  water  is  upon  a  large  square  or  plaza, 
on  one  side  of  which  stands  the  emperor's  palace, 
and  on  another  two  large  churches.  A  public 
fountain  pours  forth  its  streams  of  mountain  water 
on  the  open  side  next  the  sea,  and  the  stranger  has 
his  attention  arrested  by  the  noisy  throng  of  water 
carriers  and  washerwomen  who  are  here  gathered 
together.  This  square  gives  rather  an  agreeable 
introduction  to  the  city,  but  a  more  intimate  ac- 
quaintance does  not  sustain  the  first-formed  expec- 


I  HOUSES  OF  RIO.  23 

tatlons.  The  streets  are  narrow,  dark,  and  gloomy, 
roughly  paved  with  round  stones;  only  a  few  of 
the  best  having  flagstones  for  foot  passengers. 
But  imperial  cities  are  not  built  for  people  who  are 
vulgar  enough  to  walk  about,  and  it  becomes  very 
necessary  for  one  of  the  common  herd  to  look  about 
for  a  place  of  security,  if  he  should  chance  to  hear 
the  lumbering  approach  of  the  wide,  unwieldy  car- 
riages in  use  here.  These  carriages,  called  "seges," 
are  like  an  unwieldy,  overgrown  gig,  hung  low,  and 
are  drawn  by  two  mules  abreast,  the  postillion  being 
mounted  on  one  of  them. 

The  houses  of  Rio  are  massively  built  of  brick 
or  stone,  three  or  four  stories  high,  and  covered 
with  white  plaster.  Many  of  them  are  painted  in 
bright  colors,  and  ornamental  vases  or  statues 
decorate  projecting  points  and  cornices.  On  a  wide 
street  where  the  eye  could  sweep  over  an  extensive 
range,  their  buildings  would  have  a  very  showy 
appearance,  which  is  entirely  lost  in  the  narrow 
lanes  passing  between  them. 

The  gloomy  and  uninviting  appearance  of  the 
streets  is  increased  by  the  plan  of  occupying  the 
first  story  fronting  on  them  as  shops,  domestic 
oflices,  carriage  houses,  stables.  If  used  as  human 
dwellings,  the  door  is  in  two  pieces;  the  upper  being 


24  SHOPS  AND  CHURCHES. 

a  close-latticed  jalousie,  swung  by  a  hinge  at  the 
top ;  and  whenever  the  inmates  are  disposed  for 
a  lounging  survey  of  the  outer-door  world,  resting 
their  arms  on  the  lower  half  of  the  door,  the  head 
pushes  out  the  swinging  jalousie,  and  gives  them  a 
range  up  and  down  the  length  of  the  street.  The 
upper  stories  of  the  houses  open  upon  narrow 
balconies. 

Generally,  tradesmen  gather  themselves  together 
in  one  locality  or  street,  and  that  in  which  thp 
workers  in  precious  metals  are  found,  when  lighted 
up  at  night,  has  a  brilliant  effect.  The  principal 
business  street  is  the  "Dereita,"  and  upon  this 
stands  a  temple  of  Mammon  in  the  shape  of  a  hand- 
some Exchange.  The  most  showy  and  fashionable 
thoroughfare  is  the  Ouvidor,  on  which  are  all  the 
showy  fancy  stores,  fitted  up  in  Parisian  style, 
making  a  gaudy  display  of  the  elegant  productions 
of  England  and  France,  or  rich  specimens  of  the 
birds,  butterflies,  and  feather-flowers  of  Brazil, 
with  attractive-looking  young  women  behind  the 
counters  as  venders. 

The  churches  and  chapels,  which  are  numerous, 
are  decorated  with  great  cost  and  magnificence. 
Charity  hospitals  are  maintained  by  some  of  the 
religious  brotherhoods,  and  in  connection  with  one 


DRAWERS  OF  WATER.  "   25 

of  them,  the  "Misericordia,"  is  an  extensive  medi- 
cal school. 

The  imperial  library  has  quite  a  large  and  valu- 
able collection  of  books,  which  is  open  to  the  public ; 
and  on  Thursday  free  admission  is  granted  to  the 
national  museum. 

Among  the  most  useful  of  the  public  works  are 
the  aqueducts,  which  bring  pure  water  several  miles 
from  the  mountains,  and  distribute  it  in  fountains 
to  every  part  of  the  city. 

The  throngs  of  people  chatting  and  gossiping 
merrily  about  these  fountains,  make  them  busy  and 
animated  scenes ;  but  the  soldier  with  his  musket 
stands  sentry  over  each,  to  see  that  the  "  drawers 
of  water"  keep  within  the  bounds  of  propriety. 
Ordinarily,  a  sufficient  supply  of  water  is  brought 
into  the  city  by  these  aqueducts ;  but  there  are  times 
of  drought,  productive  of  much  suffering,  when 
this  necessary  becomes  of  great  value.  Each  one 
of  the  anxious  crowd  gathered  about  the  fountains 
upon  these  occasions  waits  until  the  slowly  trickling 
stream  has  filled  his  predecessor's  jar,  upon  the 
established  principle  of  "first  come,  first  served," 
and  some  must  spend  the  whole  night  before  ob- 
taining a  full  jar. 

The  negro  race  in  Brazil  spreads  itself  over  a 
3 


26  NEGROES. 

broader  social  scale  than  is  seen  in  any  other  part 
of  the  world.  Here  the  black  man  is  found  in  the 
highest  position,  and  also  in  the  performance  of 
those  oflBces  and  labors  which  elsewhere  are  assigned 
exclusively  to  brutes.  He  may  be  seen  in  hand- 
some and  gentlemanly  attire,  with  the  pen  of  office 
behind  his  ear,  officiating  in  governmental  depart- 
ments— wearing  the  sword  and  epaulettes  of  a  mili- 
tary officer — in  the  robes  of  the  priest,  rendering 
the  duties  of  the  altar — and  the  principal  medical 
man  of  Rio,  I  believe,  the  emperor's  physician,  is 
a  Parisian  educated  mulatto.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  negro  is  seen  through  the  streets  in  the  naked- 
ness of  his  native  Africa,  scarred  and  tattooed  in 
all  the  hideousness  of  barbarian  ornament.  Among 
these,  many  are  seen  with  the  skin  raised  in  knots 
or  beads,  extending  in  a  line  at  regular  intervals 
from  the  top  of  the  forehead  down  to  the  tip  of 
the  nose.  Like  horses  or  oxen  they  draw  the  drays, 
transport  the  hogsheads  of  sugar  and  bags  of  cof- 
fee. 

Upon  my  first  arrival  in  a  Brazilian  port,  my 
attention  was  arrested  by  the  approach  of  a  mono- 
tonous wailing  chant,  which  I  discovered  to  proceed 
from  a  body  of  negroes  carrying  a  hogshead  of 
Bugar.     The  hogshead  was   suspended  by  slings 


CARRYING  BURDENS.  27 

from  two  poles,  and  each  end  of  each  pole  was 
supported  upon  what  might  be  called  a  living  and 
moving  pyramid  of  negroes ;  three  or  four  pressing 
their  shoulders  together  on  each  side  of  the  pole, 
formed  by  their  heads  the  apex,  while  their  diverg- 
ing legs  and  feet  spread  into  the  base.  One  of 
those  in  front  sang  the  burden  of  the  tune,  and  at 
short  intervals  the  whole  gang  howled  forth  the 
chorus,  simultaneously  uniting  their  efforts  by  an 
almost  convulsive  movement,  and  advancing  their 
burden.  They  were  ascending  a  rise  in  the  street 
at  the  time  my  attention  was  attracted  towards 
them;  the  day  was  very  warm,  and  the  writhing 
of  their  strongly  marked  muscles,  the  sweat  stream- 
ing down  their  glistening  black,  naked  bodies, 
caused  the  choral  whine  accompanying  each  move- 
ment to  sound  more  like  a  howl  of  agony  than  like 
a  musical  soothing  of  labor.  The  coffee  carriers 
present  rather  a  more  animated  spectacle.  In 
companies  of  twenty  or  thirty  men,  arranged  in 
files  of  five  or  six  abreast,  each  man  with  his  bag 
of  coffee  upon  his  head,  they  move  in  a  rapid  trot 
to  the  sound  of  some  pebbles  in  the  rose  of  an  old 
watering-pot,  rattled  by  the  man  at  their  head, 
while  the  whole  party  keep  up  a  measured  shout. 
All  the  pursuits  of  labor  are  the  Brazilian  negro's 


28  LABORERS  AND  PEDLERS. 

own:  thej  alone  attend  the  markets,  and  the  women 
go  about  with  little  peddling  shops  of  fancy  articles 
in  glass  cases.  Beyond  a  certain  extent  their  labor 
is  voluntary;  a  limited  and  generally  small  sum 
being  required  of  them  by  their  owners ;  all  they 
earn  beyond  this  is  their  own.  Numbers  of  Bra- 
zilians are  supported  entirely  by  a  revenue  derived 
in  this  manner  from  their  slaves.  The  occupation 
of  a  carrier  of  coffee  is  among  the  most  profitable 
pursuits,  but  terribly  shortens  the  lives  of  its  fol- 
lowers. Thus,  in  Brazil,  we  see  the  negro  illus- 
trating practically  the  two  opposite  conditions  to 
which  contending  philosophy  would  assign  him ;  on 
the  one  hand,  in  a  position  admitting  of  amalgama- 
tion, and  on  the  other,  claiming  rank  with  the  brute 
creation. 


LYING  NOTES.  29 


CHAPTER    III. 

Lying  notes — Spartan  coin — Religions  processions — Negro  saint — 
Funerals — Monasteries — Surrounding  scenery — Political  history 
and  prospects. 

While  political  economists  and  experimenting 
statesmen  are  agitating  opinions  upon  the  relative 
merits  of  a  metallic  or  paper  currency,  Brazil  pre- 
sents both  in  such  a  repulsive  form,  that  one  would 
be  almost  willing  to  do  without  any  representative 
of  value,  and  resort  to  exchanges  in  kind. 

The  paper  currency  starts  with  a  barefaced  un- 
truth, or  unreality,  and  varies  its  lies  every  day, 
and  almost  every  hour  of  the  day.  In  the  first 
place,  the  note  of  lowest  value,  the  milreis,  pro- 
fesses to  be  worth  a  thousand  reis,  an  imaginary 
coin,  having  no  real  existence,  and  these  thousand 
reis  are  supposed  to  be  equivalent  to  our  dollar — 
ten  reis  to  a  cent — but  in  truth  the  milreis  note 
may  be  worth  on  one  day  fifty  cents,  on  the  next 
fifty-five,  and  on  the  third  sixty.  So  that,  before 
going  shopping,  one  has  to  inquire  of  a  broker  to 
3* 


30  SPARTAN  COIN. 

know  how  much  he  is  worth.  Fifty  cents  was  the 
current  value  of  a  milreis  note  during  the  few  days 
I  was  in  the  country.  The  metallic  currency  is 
Spartan,  and  in  marketing  or  shopping  on  a  small 
scale,  a  common  canvas  shot-bag  is  the  best  money- 
purse.  The  "  vintem"  is  a  copper  coin  of  twenty 
reis,  but  that  most  generally  in  use  is  a  clumsy, 
heavy  piece,  called  very  properly,  by  our  people, 
a  "  dump."  Eight  of  these  dumps  make  the 
"  patac."  \  • 

The  stranger  in  Rio  will  always  find  something 
to  engage  his  time  and  attention,  in  the  number  of 
the  national  and  religious  celebrations.  On  the 
day  dedicated  to  any  particular  saint,  a  grand  illu- 
mination brightens  the  gloom  of  the  church  honored 
with  that  saint's  name ;  decorations  ornament  its 
pillars  and  arches,  and,  as  day  closes  in  night,  a 
display  of  fireworks  salute  the  saintship,  and  ter- 
minate the  ceremonies. 

Among  the  most  interesting  street  incidents  are 
the  religious  processions  frequently  occurring.  In 
these  processions  images  as  large  as  life,  and  gaudily 
costumed,  representing  different  saints,  are  elevated 
upon  thrones,  and  borne  through  the  streets  upon 
men's  shoulders.  Immediately  following  the  images, 
walking  two  and  two,  are  the  priests  and  friars. 


RELIGIOUS  PROCESSIONS.  31 

Groups  of  little  girls  gayly  dressed,  glittering  vrith 
tinsel,  and  having  artificial  wings  fixed  to  their 
shoulders,  represent  angels;  these  accompany  the 
holy  images,  and  scatter  flowers  before  them. 

In  the  procession  which  I  was  fortunate  to  wit- 
ness, I  was  glad  to  see  that  a  fair  representation 
of  races  was  among  the  sacred  images;  for  one  of 
glittering  ebony  color,  and  woolly  head,  particularly 
attracted  the  attention  and  claimed  the  veneration 
of  the  surrounding  throng  of  negroes. 

Whilst  pursuing  our  walks  through  some  of  the 
by-streets,  we  came  upon  a  house  the  entrance  to 
which  was  hung  with  black  velvet  trimmed  with 
silver  lace — there  was  death  within;  before  the 
door  was  a  group  of  persons  with  large  wax  can- 
dles, three  or  four  feet  long,  one  of  which  they 
offered  to  every  passer  by.  As  the  honor  done  the 
deceased  is  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  these 
candles  borne  lighted  in  a  funeral  procession,  it  is 
indecorous  for  a  passer  by  to  refuse  to  take  a  candle 
and  join  the  mourners.  These  candles  become  the 
perquisite  of  the  church  in  which  the  funeral  cere- 
monies are  performed,  and,  as  but  little  of  them 
is  consumed,  they  form  no  small  contribution. 

The  body  is  borne  to  the  grave  in  a  hearse  richly 
covered  with  black  velvet,  trimmed  with  gold  or 


32  MONASTERIES. 

silver  lace.  In  the  burial  of  a  child,  the  coffin  Is 
gayl J  covered  with  blue  or  crimson  satin,  decorated 
with  gold  or  silver  fringes,  and  the  church  bells 
ring  a  merry  peal  of  rejoicing,  that  the  little  one 
has  left  without  drinking  the  full  cup  of  the  mise- 
ries of  human  life. 

Although  the  creed  of  the  Roman  church  is  that 
of  the  empire,  the  priesthood  is  said  to  have  but 
little,  if  any,  political  influence.  I  was  informed 
that  the  increase  of  monks  was  discouraged,  and 
that  upon  the  death  of  a  few  incumbents,  now  oc- 
cupying some  of  the  rich  monasteries,  their  large 
possessions  became  the  heritage  of  the  government. 

An  inspection  of  the  establishments  belonging 
to  the  various  monastic  orders,  enables  the  mind 
to  feel  the  extent  of  that  influence  which,  in  by- 
gone times,  controlled  men,  materials,  and  money. 
The  convents  and  monasteries  are  vast  and  massive 
structures,  seemingly  built  for  all  coming  time. 
One  of  them,  however,  a  construction  of  the  Jesuits, 
is  now  an  unroofed,  crumbling,  and  picturesque 
ruin.  Along  the  remains  of  immensely  thick  walls 
wild  weeds  are  growing,  and  lizards  gliding  to  and 
fro;  a  garden  of  cabbage  and  corn  .occupies  the 
place  of  the  body  of  the  church,  while  scattered 
around  are  the  fragments  of  falling  arches,  and 


SURROUNDING  SCENERY.  33 

the  dislocated  capitals  and  pedestals  of  the  pillars 
— the  past  and  the  present. 

Such  of  the  inhabitants  of  Rio  as  have  the  power 
of  volition  in  the  matter,  are  said  to  prefer  an  in- 
active and  sedentary  life.  Few  but  business  people 
are  seen  on  the  streets,  ladies  scarcely  ever.  But 
when  evening  draws  nigh,  the  verandahs  are  gay 
with  the  beauty  and  fashion  of  the  city,  arrayed 
in  rich  costume.  At  an  early  hour  the  houses  are 
closed  and  the  streets  abandoned  to  the  carriers  of 
filth,  and  unfortunate  is  he  who  may  be  out  in  ft 
night  atmosphere  loaded  with  villainous  smells. 

It  is  said  to  be  difficult  for  a  foreigner  under  any 
circumstances  to  become  acquainted  with  the  do- 
mestic manners  of  the  Brazilians,  and,  of  course, 
no  opportunity  of  doing  so  would  occur  to  a  pass- 
ing traveler.  By  those  residing  among  them,  they 
are  said  to  be  haughty,  reserved,  and  exclusive,  and 
not  at  all  desirous  of  the  association  of  foreigners. 
The  foreign  residents  are,  however,  numerous 
enough  to  form  a  sufficient  and  good  society  among 
themselves. 

The  country  about  Rio  is  gorgeously  magnificent, 
and  the  eye  can  never  weary  of  the  varied  scenes 
and  combinations  of  mountain  and  plain,  blue  wa- 


34  POLITICAL  HISTORY. 

ters  and  bright  skies;  th«  rich  luxuriance  and  va- 
ried tints  of  its  trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers. 

The  enumeration  of  the  literary,  scientific,  and 
charitable  institutions  of  Rio,  contained  in  this  no- 
tice, speaks  a  higher  character  than  prejudice  is  will- 
ing to  accord  these  people,  and  exhibits  a  spirit  of 
improvement  equal  probably  with  their  means.  If 
we  should  feel  disposed  to  reproach  them  for  not 
having  made  advances  corresponding  to  cotempo- 
rary  nations,  we  must  bear  in  mind  that  as  a  nation 
Brazil  has  a  very  recent  birth;  that,  up  to  the  year 
1807,  it  labored  under  all  the  disadvantages  of  a 
colonial  system;  a  system  bad  enough  under  any 
circumstances,  but  particularly  bad  under  Portu- 
guese administration.  In  this  year  the  child  gave 
refuge  to  the  parent:  The  political  events  of  Europe 
compelled  the  court  of  Portugal  to  transfer  itself  to 
Brazil,  and  thus  gave  the  colony  an  elevation  over 
the  mother  country,  and  commenced  such  prosperi- 
ty as  has  attended  it.  In  1821,  the  king  returned 
to  Portugal,  leaving  his  son  Don  Pedro  regent  of 
Brazil.  But  the  people  of  this  country  having  once 
felt  the  importance  and  enjoyed  the  advantages  of 
having  the  seat  of  empire  with  them,  were  unwill- 
ing to  return  to  their  colonial  condition,  and  the 
result  was  a  separation  from  the  mother  country, 


• » 


POLITICAL  HISTORY.  35 


the  fDrmation  of  an  independent  constitution,  and 
the  installation  of  Dx)n  Pedro  as  Emperor.  He 
held  this  high  dignity  about  ten  years,  during  which 
troubles  and  disturbances  harassed  the  empire,  and 
the  emperor  fell,  from  a  high  degree  of  popularity, 
80  low  in  the  estimation  of  his  people,  as  to  be  com- 
pelled, on  the  7th  of  April  1838,  to  abdicate  in  favor 
of  his  then  infant  son,  the  present  emperor.  The 
constitution  of  Brazil,  although  given  by  the  mo- 
narch himself,  and  given  in  the  most  arbitrary 
manner,  is  one  of  great  liberality,  and  must  be  re- 
garded as  particularly  so,  when  we  remember  that 
its  author  was  educated  in  absolutism,  and  that  it 
was  a  present  to  a  people  accustomed  to  despotic 
rule.  By  this  instrument  the  government  is  de- 
clared to  be  monarchical,  constitutional,  and  repre- 
sentative. The  throne  is  secured  to  the  family  of 
Don  Pedro;  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  is  made 
that  of  the  State,  though  all  others  are  tolerated, 
and  the  press  and  speech  are  free.  The  legislature 
is  composed  of  a  House  of  Deputies  and  a  Senate. 
The  members  are  appointed  by  electors  chosen  by 
the  people;  the  deputies  for  four  years,  and  the 
senators  for  life.  The  individual  provinces  of  the 
empire  are  governed  by  presidents  nominated  by 
the  emperor.     Each  province  has  its  local  assembly. 


36  POLITICAL  HISTORY. 

The  political  condition  of  Brazil  is  not  univer- 
sally one  of  quiet  satisfaction.  Occasional  hostility 
manifests  itself  in  provinces  remote  from  the 
capital.  During  the  minority  of  the  present  em- 
peror, and  while  the  government  was  administered 
by  a  regent,  the  northern  province  of  Bahia  re- 
volted, and,  the  insurgents  being  subdued,  were 
visited  with  savage  vengeance.  Many  were  slaugh- 
tered in  the  streets  of  St.  Salvador,  in  vain  begging 
for  mercy ;  and  their  habitations,  in  this  the  second 
and  most  beautiful  city  in  the  empire,  were  given 
to  the  flames. 

Brazil  has  paid  the  tribute  of  testimony  to  the 
value  of  free  institutions,  by  the  advance  she  has 
made  since  being  released  from  the  restrictions  of 
colonial  dependence.  But  the  hour  has  not  yet 
come  when  this  country  shall  display  a  social  and 
political  organization  correspondent  with  her  natu- 
ral magnificence. 


■%'^ 


CAPE  HORN.  37 


CHAPTER  IV. 

"  Going  round  the  Horn" — Pacific  Ocean — Valparaiso — Buildings 
and  people — Markets. 

"Going  round  the  Horn"  presents,  generally, 
a  fine  field  for  those  bold  spirits  who  delight  in 
meeting  old  Neptune  in  his  angriest  moods,  and 
must  afford  the  highest  enjoyment  to  those  troubled 
Bouls  who  are  nerer  perfectly  happy  except  when 
in  a  gale.  Whoever  prepares  himself  for  a  voyage 
around  this  stormy  cape,  by  reading  the  awful  nar- 
ratives of  the  early  navigators,  will  have  his  ima- 
gination filled  with  the  anticipation  of  every  horror 
of  a  tempestuous  sea.  He  will  fancy  this  bold 
promontory  jutting  with  intrusive  daring  into  the 
dark  and  unknown  storehouse  of  storm  and  tem- 
pest; while  the  surges  of  the  great  Southern  Ocean 
lash  its  shores,  and  winds  howl  around  its  head 
in  angry  rebuke  of  its  temerity.  Familiar  as  we 
were  with  such  representations  it  was  difficult  to 
realize  that  on  the  25th  of  December,  a  southern 
summer  month,  we  were  sailing  through  this  wild 
4 


38  PACIFIC  OCEAN. 

region  with  a  gentle  breeze,  over  a  smooth  blue 
sea,  the  sun  glittering  upon  the  snows  of  Patagonia, 
the  cape  and  neighboring  islands  lying  quietly  in 
sight;  all  nature  smiling  as  if  in  mockery  of  our 
expectations,  and  of  the  hard  weather  arrange- 
ments which  our  ship  displayed. 

Having  made  what  those  who  have  encountered 
more  legitimate  cape  Weather  called  a  fortunate 
escape,  it  was  much  to  the  satisfaction  of  such  as 
think  a  ship  more  comfortable  in  a  quiet  sea,  that 
we  glided  into  those  ocean  regions,  which,  from  an 
established  reputation  for  good  behavior,  have 
gained  the  title  Pacific.  Sailors  do  not  feel  that 
they  are  out  of  the  tempestuous  latitudes  until 
fairly  past  the  island  of  Chiloe  on  the  coast  of 
Chile ;  and  there  is  a  nautical  proverb  which  signi- 
fies that  if  you  escape  Cape  Horn,  you  must  catch 
it  ofl"  Chiloe.  But  without  any  such  contingency 
we  passed  this  island  on  the  eleventh  day  from  the 
cape,  and  then  the  ship  came  out  of  her  storm  rig, 
and  ports  were  opened,  as  the  windows  of  a  house 
will  be  thrown  open  to  the  first  balmy  breeze  of 
spring. 

One  accustomed  to  the  uncertainties  of  the  sea, 
and  to  the  sudden  manner  in  which  violent  gales 
may  break  upon  quiet  calms,  can  scarcely  realize 


VALPARAISO.  39 

the  fact  of  retiring  at  night  with  a  smooth  sea  and 
pleasant  weather,  with  the  security  of  awaking  to 
the  same  condition  of  things  on  the  following 
morning. 

On  the  morning  of  the  fourteenth  day  from  Cape 
Horn,  we  were  running  along  the  naked,  barren 
hills  which  form  this  part  of  the  coast  of  Chile, 
having  some  of  the  towering  snow  peaks  of  the 
Andes  visible  far  in  the  distance.  Soon  these 
points  and  landmarks,  familiar  to  the  old  cruisers 
on  this  station,  began  to  be  recognized :  and  "there's 
the  lighthouse,"  "there's  the  red-tiled  house," 
"there's  the  Point  of  Angels,"  were  exclamations 
heard  in  turn  as  each  came  into  view.  The  Point 
of  Angels  being  rounded,  we  were  in  the  bay  of 
the  Vale  of  Paradise— -Valparaiso. 

Angels  and  Paradise !  Things  have  their  good 
qualities  developed  by  contrast,  and  he  who  gave 
such  divine  names  to  the  scenes  before  us,  must 
have  just  escaped  a  condition  of  afiGairs  which  per- 
haps induced  him  to  think  he  had  been  in  that  un- 
nameable  region  which  is  the  farthest  remote  from 
Paradise.  The  chain  of  desolate  hills  along  which 
we  had  been  running,  after  jutting  out  into  the 
Point  of  Angels,  circles  around  the  bay,  forming 
the  harbor.     On  a  narrow  space  between  the  fort 


40  BUILDINGS  AND  PEOPLE. 

of  these  hills  and  the  beach  stands  the  port,  or 
business  part  of  the  town  of  Valparaiso.  The 
dwellings  are  chiefly  one-storied  cottages,  built  of 
"adobes"  (clay  moulded  into  large  bricks,  and  dried 
in  the  sun),  or  of  wood,  and  are  stuck  like  bird- 
cages on  the  narrow  ledges  of  the  hills  rising  back 
of  the  port.  The  ascent  to  this  part  of  the  town 
is  quite  a  fatiguing  undertaking,  being  either  by 
abrupt  steps  or  a  more  gradual  but  circuitous  path- 
wa,y.  Seen  from  the  harbor,  Valparaiso  presents 
no  idea  of  its  extent.  The  lower  town  winds  away 
and  spreads  itself  out  into  a  broader  space — the 
Almendrd,l,  or  almond  grove.  This  part  of  the  city 
contains  many  fine  buildings.  The  whole  of  Val- 
paraiso is  rapidly  improving,  and  has  an  active, 
prosperous,  "go-ahead"  appearance.  Many  of  the 
modern  buildings  in  the  port  are  lofty,  substantial 
stone  edifices,  which  are  built  in  defiance  of  earth- 
quakes. The  hill  part  of  the  city  does  not  show 
itself  from  the  harbor,  only  those  cottages  which 
stand  upon  the  faces  of  the  ridges  being  seen,  but 
a  closer  inspection  finds  them  to  be  winding  in  tier 
above  tier  around  and  through  the  ravines.  At 
the  time  of  our  visit,  the  population  was  supposed 
to  be  about  forty  thousand — a  mixed  population 
of  the  Spanish  Childno,  the  Indian  ChiMno,  and 


MARKETS.  41 

foreigners.  The  Indians  have  a  fine  clear  com- 
plexion, full  dark  eyes,  and  glossy  black  hair. 
Foreigners  give  the  tone  to  society  and  the  charac- 
ter to  business,  and  among  these  the  English  in- 
fluence appears  to  preponderate — even  Americans 
become  anglicised.  In  the  reading  room  of  the 
Exchange,  or  in  the  apartments  of  the  club  house, 
one  might  imagine  himself  in  an  English  town. 
This  club  house  is  in  itself  an  illustration  of  the 
foreign  social  influences  existing  in  Valparaiso. 
The  building  has  been  recently  erected  for  the 
purpose,  and  is  handsome  as  well  as  commodious, 
and  offers  all  the  seducing  attractions  of  such  anti- 
domestic,  bachelor- winning  establishments:  fine 
billiard  tables,  card  and  chess  rooms,  library  and 
reading  room,  with  apartments  for  refreshments, 
where  one  may  quietly  and  elegantly  get  his  choco- 
late or  coffee,  and  even  a  supper  of  fresh  Baltimore 
oystei's. 

The  month  of  January  being  of  course  a  summer 
month  in  the  southern  hemisphere,  the  markets  of 
Valparaiso  presented  an  assemblage  of  productions 
exceedingly  cheering  to  the  eyes  of  those  just  from 
a  long  sea  voyage. 

The  fruits  were:  oranges,  lemons,  strawberries, 
cherries,  pears,  plums,  apricots,  nectarines,  figs. 
4* 


42  MARKETS. 

The  vegetables:  green  peas,  beans,  radishes,  cu- 
cumbers, turnips,  pumpkins,  cabbages,  lettuce, 
potatoes,  onions,  green  corn,  artichokes,  and  toma- 
toes. Most  of  these  productions  were  of  fine 
quality,  and,  to  us,  of  unusual  size.  Chile  is  cele- 
brated for  its  wheat ;  and  the  butter  of  Valparaiso 
has  a  reputation  along  the  shores  of  the  Pacific 
corresponding  to  that  of  Philadelphia  in  the  United 
States. 

With  a  constitution  modeled  upon  that  of  the 
United  States,  a  liberal  tarifi*,  no  standing  army, 
tolerated  religions,  and  a  good  population,  the  re- 
public of  Chile  is  happy  and  prosperous.  The 
capital,  Santiago,  being  eighty  miles  in  the  interior, 
our  short  stay  did  not  permit  us  to  visit  it. 


LAND  OF  THE  INCAS.  43 


CHAPTER    V. 

Land  of  the  Incas — Origin  of  the  Incas — Callao — Picant^  shop — 
Chicha — ^Pic-nic  at  Old  Callao— Peruvian  breakfast — Earthquake 
— Start  for  Lima, 

Having  left  Valparaiso,  twelve  days  of  a  fair 
wind  and  smooth  sea  brought  us  to  those  shores 

"  Where  the  glad  earth,  through  all  the  smiling  hours, 
Unwrought  by  man,  its  genial  tribute  pours : 
Stern  winter  frowns  not  there ;  nor  snow,  nor  lain, 
Deforms  the  sky,  or  desolates  the  plain ; 
But  sea-born  zephyrs,  ever  on  the  wing. 
Round  the  blest  bowers  eternal  freshness  fling." 

To  Pern — the  land  of  the  children  of  the  sun — of 
Incas,  who  could  proffer  a  room  full  of  gold  as  a 
ransom !  The  sun  of  its  worship  and  the  rich 
treasures  of  its  mines  have  illumined  and  gilded 
the  pages  of  historians  and  poets  who  have  made 
it  their  theme. 

An  old  Spanish  author,  with  quaint  diffusion,  gives 
several  chapters  upon  the  origin  of  the  name  of 
this  country,  and  from  him  we  learn  that  the  early 
adventurers  having  caught  an  Indian  fishing  hi  a 


44  ORIGIN  OF  THE  INCAS. 

river,  asked  him  the  name  of  the  region;  he,  being 
much  frightened,  supposed  they  asked  either  his 
own  name  or  where  he  was,  and  replied  Beru  and 
Pelu,  the  former  being  his  own  name  and  the  latter 
the  common  name  for  a  river.  The  Spaniards 
compounded  the  words  into  the  present  name  of 
this  splendid  country.  This  does  well  enough  as  a 
story,  and  as  an  excuse  for  some  reason  why  the 
country  should  be  called  Peru;  but,  if  true,  the 
Spaniards  must  have  been  under  the  influence  of 
a  simplicity  inconsistent  with  the  rascality  we  know 
to  have  characterized  them. 

Having  settled  upon  the  name  of  the  country,  a 
greater  difficulty  remains  to  determine  who  these 
sun-worshiping  Incas  were.  While  the  native 
fiction  makes  the  first  Inca,  Manco-Capac,  and  his 
sister,  wife,  children  of  the  sun,  philosophers,  in 
seeking  for  them  a  less  celestial  and  more  natural 
origin,  have  been  undecided  whether  to  bring  them 
from  Europe  or  Asia.  Some  represent  them  as 
descendants  of  the  Scandinavians,  who  landed  on 
the  American  continent  in  the  eleventh  century; 
and  others  decide  them  to  be  Mongolians,  of  the 
family  of  Genghis  Kahn,  brought  to  this  coast  by 
storms.  But,  among  other  stories,  the  following  is 
worth  telling,  from  its  absurdity: — 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  INCAS.  45 

As  it  runs,  about  eight  hundred  years  ago,  an 
Englishman  was  wrecked  upon  the  coast  of  Peru: 
the  reigning  chief  asking  who  he  was,  received  for 
^.nswer,  "an  Englishman;"  the  word  was  repeated 
by  the  Indians  "Incasman,"  and  to  this  they  added 
Cocopac,  or  most  beautiful,  and  made  of  the  whole 
Inca-manco-capac.  Come  from  what  source  they 
may,  these  right  divine  chiefs  understood  the  na- 
ture of  the  people  over  whom  they  were  to  rule, 
find  firmly  established  a  theocratic  despotism  which 
reached  every  individual  in  the  land. 

They  managed  by  every  influential  device  to  3e- 
cure  their  own  position  on  the  top  round  of  the 
social  and  political  ladder.  So  sacred  was  all  that 
pertained  to  the  imperial  dignity,  that  any  one  ap- 
proaching the  imperial  city  of  Cusco,  was  obliged 
to  make  obeisance  to  those  he  met  coming  from  it. 

The  civilized  world  has  looked  with  admiration 
upon  the  evidence  which  remains  of  the  progress 
these  Peruvians  had  made  in  political  science,  agri- 
culture, architecture,  arms,  and  manufacturing. 
Although  much  of  the  deepest  interest  has  been 
lost  or  destroyed  by  the  bandits  who  conquered  the 
country,  enough  remains  in  the  ruined  temples  and 
other  structures  to  claim  our  wonder. 

Not  much  that  is  inviting  or  magnificent  greets 


46  CALLAO. 

the  eye  upon  entering  the  harbor  of  Callao,  the 
principal  seaport  of  Peru.  We  have  the  gloomy 
island  of  San  Lorenzo,  looking  like  a  mountain 
sand  heap,  on  our  right  hand,  or  to  the  southward, 
"without  a  sprig  of  vegetation  to  clothe  its  yellow 
nakedness.  Before  us  we  have  the  low  white 
touses  and  dilapidated  castles  of  the  town  of  Cal- 
lao, and  back  of  these,  a  green  plain  sweeps  away 
to  a  semicircular  range  of  rugged  naked  hills,  en- 
closing this  plain  or  vale  of  Lurigancho,  through 
which  flows  the  Rimac.  Casting  our  view  over 
thia  green  and  fertile  valley,  the  prospect  improves 
a  little;  to  the  left  of  Callao  we  discern,  at  the 
foot  of  the  distant  hills,  the  domes  and  steeples  of 
the  "city  of  kings" — Lima;  and  above  all,  the 
summits  of  the  Andes.  One  snow-capped  peak  is 
seen  immediately  behind  the  city,  glittering  in  the 
sunbeams  with  a  peculiarly  striking  appearance. 

Although  Callao  is  one  of  those  places  one  is 
anxious  to  get  out  of  as  soon  as  possible,  still,  as 
we  must  pass  through  it  on  our  way  to  Lima,  and 
as  it  is  our  first  appearance  in  Peru,  we  will  take 
a  look  at  it. 

The  landing  is  at  a  very  excellent  mole  of  stone, 
enclosed  by  an  iron  railing;  and  here  we  have  he-r 
fore  us  an  animated,  busy,  and  characteristic  scene. 


CALLAO.  47 

The  fine  wheat  of  Chile  li^  lieaped  up  in  large 
piles;  and  as  an  evidence  of  the  dryness  of  the 
climate,  and  the  general  ahsence  of  rain,  it  remains 
thus  exposed  to  the  weather  from  one  end  of  the 
year  to  the  other.  There  are  also  iron  vessels  of 
quicksilver,  used  in  the  mines,  for  separating  the 
precious  metals ;  large  square  hlocks  of  salt  quar- 
ried from  the  mines  of  Sechura;  and  pyramidal 
earthen  jars  of  Italia,  an  alcoholic  spirit,  manufac- 
tured at  Pisco,  a  little  to  the  southward,  and  much 
esteemed  as  a  choice  spirit.  Numerous  carts  made 
of  raw  hides,  and  droves  of  diminutive  donkeys  are 
husily  employed  in  transporting  the  various  goods 
to  their  places  of  destination. 
4  The  houses  of  Callao  are  generally  one-storied, 
flat-roofed,  and  huilt  of  the  dried  mud  bricks  or 
"  adobes."  The  present  town  is  of  recent  structure, 
the  old  town  having  been  entirely  destroyed  by  an 
awful  earthquake  in  1746.  At  which  time,  it  is 
said,  the  ocean  receded  to  a  great  distance,  and 
came  in  again  in  three  successive  waves,  overwhelm- 
ing the  unhappy  town.  A  monument  now  stands 
on  the  plain,  about  a  mile  from  the  seashore,  mark- 
ing the  spot  where  a  Spanish  frigate  was  deposited 
by  the  returning  sea.  Although  Callao  is  at  pre- 
sent a  miserable  place,  it  is  undoubtedly  to  receive 


4d 


PICANTE  SHOP. 


the  reward  of  humility,  and  be  the  first  wh6n  the 
first  shall  be  last.  So  soon  as  the  old  Spanish  plan 
of  having  the  principal  town  remote  from  the  port 
shall  give  way  to  practical  utility,  the  wealth  and 
population  of  Lima  must  come  down  to  Callao ;  and 
in  view  of  this  prosperous  future,  we  would  suggest 
it  to  all  speculative,  enterprising  spirits  as  a  good 
place  to  invest  money  in  town  lots.  Already  some 
handsome  and  commodious  houses  are  beginning  to 
spring  up  in  the  suburbs  of  the  poor  hovels  which 
make  the  town  of  Callao.  A  gambling  house,  and 
two  or  three  uninviting  fondas,  or  taverns  with 
billiard  rooms,  are  the  only  places  of  resort  offered 
the  stranger  by  this  place,  and  in  searching  for  the 
customs  of  the  country,  one  is  apt  to  fall  into 
strange  company. 

Come,  I  must  take  you  to  a  "picante"  shop,  and 
give  you  some  "chicha,"  said  a  friend  to  me  on  the 
first  night  of  my  arrival.  Being  willing  to  find  out 
what  "picante"  and  "chicha"  were,  I  accompanied 
him.  After  a  few  turns  of  the  narrow  streets,  we 
entered  a  large  and  dimly  lighted  apartment,  having 
a  dirt  floor,  and  the  roof  supported  by  unhewn  posts 
set  in  the  ground.  Tables  and  benches  were  ar- 
ranged through  this  place,  and  occupying  them  was 
a  motley  group  of  women  and  children,  a  mixture 


^     cmeHA.  49 

of  negro,  Indian,  and  white,  eating  and  drinking. 
Dogs  and  sheep  were  lying  about  the  floor.  It  did 
not  look  like  a  place  intended  for  the  visits  of  any 
who  might  consider  themselves  within  the  commu- 
nion of  what  are  called  the  upper  classes,  and  it 
was  evident  that  those  who  felt  disposed  to  eat  of 
the  people's  food,  must  go  where  the  people  con- 
gregate. We  called  for  shrimp  and  picante.  The 
shrimp,  boiled  and  cold,  were  brought  us  in  one 
saucer;  the  "  picante,"  a  fiery,  burning  sauce,  made 
of  red  pepper,  in  another  saucer,  and  some  parched 
corn  in  a  third.  Knives,  forks,  or  spoons,  were  un- 
reached refinement,  and  having  made  the  best  dis- 
position we  could  of  the  food  before  us,  without 
any  such  appliances,  we  disposed  of  a  broiled  fish, 
also,  by  the  aid  of  our  fingers  and  teeth.  By  the 
side  of  the  door  at  which  we  entered,  were  some 
large  conical  earthen  jars,  and  from  these  was 
pumped  our  drink,  the  "chicha."  It  is  made  fromi 
the  fermented  liquor  from  boiled  corn,  and  has  very 
much  the  taste  of  hard  cider  with  corn  meal  stirred 
in  it.  My  companion  seemed  to  relish  this  turbid 
fluid  very  much;  it  did  not  then  suit  my  taste,  but 
in  many  a  wearied  day  since,  I  have  found  it  one  of 
the  most  refreshing  and  grateful  drinks  I  have  ever 
used. 
5 


60  PIC-NIC  AT  OLD  CALLAO. 

On  the  following  morning  we  visited  the  market- 
place, and  here  under  rude  booths  were  the  venders 
of  fresco,  or  iced  lemonade,  pifia,  or  iced  pine- 
apple water,  ice  cream,  &c.  In  their  vicinity 
people  were  cooking  over  small  fires,  very  much 
in  the  manner  of  the  cooks,  who  in  our  country 
serve  the  market  people  with  their  meals.  But 
these  places  were  resorted  to  by  the  "upper  ten 
thousand,"  as  well  as  by  the  "profanum  vulgus;" 
and  a  genteely  dressed  senorita  might  be  seen  on 
the  bench  of  the  fresco  vender,  taking  her  ice,  along 
side  of  a  rough  laborer,  with  coarse  pants  on,  in- 
dulging in  the  same  luxury. 

A  "pic-nic"  down  at  Old  Callao,  or  the  point 
where  Old  Callao  had  been,  about  two  miles  to  the 
south  of  the  present  town,  was  about  to  come  off 
shortly  after  our  arrival ;  and  having  been  favored 
with  an  invitation,  I  here  made  my  entrde  into 
Peruvian  society. 

The  entertainment  was  given  by  a  gentleman, 
the  proprietor  of  an  estate  near  Callao,  and  who 
had  several  young  ladies  in  his  family.  Early  in  the 
morning  of  the  appointed  day  we  started  on  horse- 
back for  the  scene  of  festivity,  and  upon  reaching 
it  we  found  part  of  the  company  present,  all  how- 
ever of  the  family  to  whose  hospitality  we  were 


PERUVIAN  BREAKFAST^  51 

indebted,  godmother,  grandmother,  and  children. 
The  young  ladies  had  not  yet  arrived,  because  of 
their  attendance  on  mass.  Extensive  preparations 
were  going  on  for  the  day's  feasting.  Two  sheep 
were  ready  for  roasting,  and  piles  of  plucked 
chickens  and  turkeys  were  awaiting  the  cook's  dis- 
posal. This  functionary  was  busily  engaged  at  the 
open  air  furnace  or  kitchen,  over  an  immense 
earthen  vessel  of  broth,  or  "  caldo,"  as  it  is  here 
called.  This  "caldo"  is  the  first  dish  and  an  essential 
part  of  a  Peruvian  breakfast.  As  a  native  gourmand 
once  remarked  to  me,  the  caldo  warms  the  stomach 
and  gets  it  ready  for  the  food.  Among  the  stores 
on  the  ground,  were  a  variety  of  wines,  bottles  of 
Italia,  and  as  an  evidence  of  Yankee  influence,  and 
a  tribute  to  Yankee  taste,  ice,  mint,  and  brandy. 
The  ice  is  frozen  snow  from  the  Andes,  presejv^d 
in  stable  manure.  ' 

The  point  upon  which  we  were,  is  a  bathing- 
place;  and  for  the  accommodation  of  the  bathers, 
a  range  of  small  chambers  have  been  constructed 
of  matting.  The  divisions  between  these  being 
removed  formed  a  convenient  shady  apartment  for 
our  tables.  While  we  were  surveying  their  pro- 
mising preparations,  the  young  ladies  of  the  party 
dashed  up  on  horseback.  Their  costume  was  similar 


52  TAKE  WHAT  IS  OFFERED. 

.to  the  parlor  or  walking  dresses  of  our  own  ladies, 
excepting  that  they  wore  broad-brimmed  Guayaquil 
hats,  nearly  the  whole  width  of  the  crown  covered 
by  broad  plaid  ribbons,  done  up  in  large  bows  at 
the  side. 

The  big  pot  of  "caldo"  was  now  removed  from  the 
fire,  placed  on  one  end  of  the  table,  and  breakfast 
commenced.  It  was  evident  that  the  principles  of 
teetotalism  had  not  reached  this  part  of  our  globe, 
for  the  wine  and  Italia  seemed  to  be  as  necessary 
a  part  of  the  breakfast  of  the  ladies  as  they  were 
of  that  of  the  sterner  sex ;  and  I  found  that  no 
matter  how  often  I  oflfered  a  mint  julep  to  a  lady, 
it  was  freely  accepted;  and  feeling  some  apprehen- 
sion for  the  consequences,  I  substituted  wine  for 
brandy  in  mixing  them,  as  I  felt  bound  in  gallantry 
to  offer  as  long  as  they  were  not  declined.  It  was 
with  some  mortification  that  I  learned  that  it  is 
considered  an  act  of  rudeness  to  refuse  any  thing 
offered  at  table,  and  that  my  officious  gallantry 
might  in  truth  have  been  ^  persecution  to  those  to 
whom  it  was  extended.  This  conventional  courtesy 
pf  offering  and  accepting  delicacies  at  table  is  in 
frequent  exercise.  A  lady  will  take  up  some  choice 
morsel,  on  the  end  of  a  fork,  from  her  plate,  and 
present  it  to  any  gentleman  whom  she  may  wish  to 


EARTHQUAKE.  63 

compliment,  and  the  gentleman  acknowledges  the 
honor  done  him  hy  a  speedy  return  of  the  civility. 
This  custom  appears  to  he  an  equivalent  for  that 
of  hob-knobbing.  After  breakfast,  ladies  as  well 
as  gentlemen  lit  their  cigars,  and  puffed  away  with 
the  air  and  gusto  of  old  smokers.  As  the  party 
was  to  spend  the  day  upon  the  ground,  and  pass 
the  evening  in  dancing  at  the  "chacra"  of  our  kind- 
hearted  host,  we  regretted  exceedingly  that  impera- 
tive engagements  compelled  us  to  leave  soon  after 
the  completion  of  our  first  Peruvian  breakfast. 

Peru  rejoices  in  her  freedom  from  mad  dogs  and 
dangerous  lightning;  but,  as  a  compensation,  and 
to  keep  up  the  equality  of  good  and  evil,  she  has 
awful  earthquakes,  which  shake  down  and  swallow 
up  towns.  Allusion  has  already  been  made  to  that 
which  swallowed  up  Old  Callao,  and  it  was  soon 
after  my  arrival  in  the  country  that  I  made  an  ex- 
perimental acquaintance  with  this  turbulent  pheno- 
menon. Being  in  my  room  in  Callao,  in  the  "alto," 
or  second  story,  on  a  still,  quiet  Sunday  morning, 
suddenly  a  loud  rumbling  noise  arose,  and  the  next 
instant  it  appeared  as  if  an  immense  battering-ram 
had  been  violently  borne  against  the  building,  which 
rolled  as  though  two  waves  had  passed  beneath  it, 
the  timbers  and  joists  cracking  violently.     By  the 


54  CONFORMITY. 

.  time  I  was  startled  into  a  surmise  of  the  cause  of 
,iliese  effects,  it  had  passed  on ;  and  in  going  to  the 
front  window,  I  saw  the  whole  centre  of  the  street 
Hned  with  the  terrified  population,  who  had  fled  to 
this  as  the  safest  position.  This  was  the  most 
marked  affair  of  the  kind  which  occurred  during 
my  stay  in  the  country,  hut  minor  shakes  and 
trembles,  which  just  served  to  remind  one  of  what 
might  occur  at  any  hour  of  the  day  or  night,  were 
frequent.  But  it  is  time  to  give  up  our  gossip  about 
Callao,  and  look  for  something  of  greater  interest ; 
and  for  our  purpose  we  have,  running  to  Lima,  the 
"  old  line"  and  the  "  opposition  line"  of  omnibuses. 
What,  an  amalgamation  of  manners  and  customs  is 
going  on  in  the  world,  and  leveling  all  peculiarities ! 
in  a  little  while  we  shall  have  no  such  thing  as 
"foreign  parts."  Mint  juleps  are  part  of  a  Peru- 
vian pic-nic,  and  now  an  omnibus  carries  us  where 
but  a  little  while  past  we  traveled  on  horseback  and 
armed  against  banditti !  ^  .    .  , 


THE  BOAD  TO  LIMA.  ^5 


CHAPTER   VI. 

Road  to  Lima — Equestrian  costume— Peasant  women — Lima — 
Houses — Convents — Plaza — Public  buildings — Foundling  hospi- 
tal— Museum— Market — Chiriraoya— Marketing  friar. 

Having  paid  our  fare,  a  dollar,  and  taken  our 
seats  in  one  of  these  coaches,  in  a  few  minutes  we 
were  under  way,  at  the  heels  of  five  horses,  three 
abreast  in  the  lead,  for  Lima — "the  city  of  Kings" 
once;  "the  city  of  the  Free"  now;  where  viceroys 
have  walked  upon  silver  pavements,  and  where 
ladies  are  now  walking  in  the  mysterious  Saya-y- 
manto.  The  distance  is  eight  miles,  and  the  road 
presents  some  scenes  of  interest  to  the  stranger. 
Although  now  terribly  out  of  repair,  it  bears  the, 
evidence  of  the  power  and  resources  of  the  vice- 
regal days.  To  the  eye  it  has  the  appearance  of 
passing  over  a  dead  level,  but,  in  reality,  there  is 
a  rise  of  eight  hundred  feet  from  the  port  to  Lima. 
The  country,  on  each  side  of  the  road,  presents 
either  open  fields  of  grassy  tussocks,  and  sand-hills, 
amid  which  numerous  donkeys  are  picking  up  a  liv- 


56  THE  ROAD  TO  LIMA. 

ing,  or  fields  separated  by  crumbling  "  adobe"  walls. 
Wherever  there  is  any  cultivation,  the  fields  are  ir- 
rigated by  means  of  "ac^quias,"  or  canals,  conduct- 
ing the  waters  of  the  Rimac. 
•  We  shall,  however,  find  more  interest  in  the  living 
beings  animating  this  road:  droves  of  donkeys  traua- 
porting  their  cargoes  to  and  fro ;  one  drove,  followed 
by  six  negro  soldiers,  bearing  lances  with  a  small 
red  flag  at  their  end,  is  carrying  specie  to  the  port 
for  exportation.  But  it  is  not  always  that  specie 
travels  this  road,  in  such  an  open  or  boastful  man- 
ner. Quantities  of  it  go  down  for  smuggling  ship- 
ment, and  then  the  precious  metal  cloaks  its  glitter- 
ing countenatice  under  very  humble  disguises.  The 
officers  of  the  customs  sometimes  get  on  the  track 
of  this  hidden  treasure,  and  tbey  have  had  tbe  good 
fortune  to  pick  up  thousands,  of  dollars  which  their 
vigilance  has  caused  to  be  abandoned  in  these  road- 
side fields. 

It  is  a  too  disgraceful  truth  that  the  national 
flags,  the  armed  ships,  and  the  chivalry  of  two  such 
nations  as  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain, 
are  employed  in  this  illicit  traffic,  and  in  robbing 
these  weak  South  American  nations  of  their  re- 
venue, while  enjoying  the  hospitalities  of  their  ports. 
We  shall  have  more  to  say  upon  this  subject  in  an- 


PEASANT  WOMEN.  57 

other  place,  for  the  present  we  return  to  our  road. 
Horsemen  are  dashing  along  in  the  showy  Peruvian 
costume ;  a  broad-brimmed,  white,  Guayaquil  grass 
hat,  and  a  "poncho,"  or  larg§  cape,  of  cotton,  linen, 
worsted,  or  woolen  cloth,  fringed  around  the  bor- 
der, sometimes  embroidered,  but  oftener  variegated 
with  broad,  gay,  blue,  yellow,  or  crimson  stripes. 
A  hole  through  the  centre  admits  the  head,  and 
the  poncho  falls  over  the  shoulders,  nearly  as  low 
as  the  knees.  The  stirrups  are  large,  triangular 
blocks  of  wood,  elaborately  carved,  and  frequently 
bound  and  tipped  with  silver.  The  opening  for  the 
reception  of  the  foot  does  not  pass  entirely  through 
the  block.  The  spurs  are  not  less  singular,  being 
heavy  masses  of  metal,  often  ©f  silver,  the  rowel 
projecting  about  four  inches  from  the  heel,  and  each 
spike  being  an  inch  or  more  in  length.  We  passed 
also  many  female  equestrians,  all  riding  in  that 
mode  which  in  our  country  is  exclusively  monopo- 
lized by  gentlemen.  These  are  generally  negro  or 
Indian  peasant  women.  The  dress  of  the  latter  is, 
with  great  uniformity,  the  same;  a  neat  shoe,  fitting 
a  very  small  foot,  and  armed  with  a  spur;  a  glossy 
silk  stocking,  white  muslin  or  gay  calico  dress,  very 
bright-colored  shawl,  large  Guayaquil  hat,  with  the 
broad  plaid  ribbons  and  bows  on  the  right  side. 


58  ENTER  LIMA. 

The  glossy  jet  black  hair  is  parted  from  the  brow 
to  the  back  of  the  head,  and  falls  down  the  back  in 
two  long  plaits. 

While  engaged  in  observing  these  various  sights, 
our  omnibus  has  rolled  on  amid  clouds  of  dust,  until, 
about  a  mile  from  the  city,  we  enter  upon  an  ave- 
nue, or  "alamdda,"  with  double  rows  of  willow  trees 
and  a  promenade  on  each  side;  from  this  we  pass 
through  an  arched  gateway,  and  are  in  Lima. 

As  with  almost  everything  else  in  life,  we  have 
reached  disappointment.  The  stranger  upon  enter- 
ing Lima  will  be  struck,  almost  with  disgust,  by 
the  long,  narrow  streets,  the  low  houses,  each  one 
surmounted  by  a  flagstaff;  and  nothing  can  be 
more  sombre  than*  the  irregular  lines  of  wooden 
verandahs,  dark  and  dingy  with  dust,  jutting  over 
the  narrow  pavements  from  the  "altos,"  or  second 
stories  of  the  houses.  These  verandahs  are  not 
more  prominent  features  in  the  external  appear- 
ance of  Lima,  than  they  are  indications  of  its  do- 
mestic habits.  They  afford  facilities  for  being  out 
of  doors,  without  the  trouble  of  making  a  toilet. 
The  lower  part,  for  about  the  height  of  three  feet, 
is  a  closely  shut,  wooden  box,  running  across  the 
front  of  the  upper  story,  and  supported  upon  pro- 
jecting beams  with  carved  ends.     From  this  to  the 


LIMERIAN  HOUSES.  59 

roof,  are  the  light,  lattice-work  shutters,  swinging 
from  hinges  at  the  top ;  go  that  when  a  lady  is  dis- 
posed to  take  a  dishabille  lounge  between  break- 
fast and  dinner,  she  lights  her  cigar!  leans  upon 
the  box  part  of  the  verandah,  her  head  of  course 
pushes  out  the  lower  part  of  the  swinging  shutter, 
and  she  has  a  comfortable  view  of  all  that  is  going 
on,  up  and  down  the  street.  Beneath  these  veran- 
dahs, there  generally  opens  from  the  street  a  broad, 
paved  entrance  to  the  courtyard,  around  which 
the  house  is'  built.  The  offices,  store-rooms,  stables, 
and  servants'  apartments,  open  on  a  level  with  this 
yard,  and  a  stairway  ascends  from  it  to  galleries 
above,  leading  to  the  various  apartments  of  the  fa- 
mily. On  business  streets,  small  shops  occupy  each 
side  of  the  entrance  to  the  best  houses,  and  hence 
the  most  elegant  establishments  give  no  beauty  to 
the  streets.  Where  the  entrance  to  them  is  not 
through  dirty  shops,  the  line  of  the  street  is  sepa- 
rated from  the  courtyard  by  a  high,  thick  wall. 
In  either  case,  the  entrance  is  closed  by  lofty,  mas- 
sive double  gates,  thickly  studded  with  large  brass 
knobs.  These  gates  open  into  a  passage  way  about 
twelve  feet  long,  conducting  to  the  courtyard,  or 
"  patio."  Each  side  of  this  passage  way  is  deco- 
rated with  a  painting,  representing  some  scriptural 


60  CONVENTS. 

or  classical  scene.  Sometimes  the  principal  and 
most  showy  part  of  the  house,  crosses  or  bounds 
the  courtyard  on  the  first  floor,  directly  opposite 
to  the  entrance.  A  handsome  portico  then  fronts 
the  whole  of  this  part,  and  the  front  of  the  house 
is  of  ornamental  iron  open  work,  elegantly  gilded 
or  bronzed.  Houses  of  this  character  are  generally 
but  of  one  story,  but  have  large  and  lofty  rooms. 
In  the  rear  of  this  main,  or  centre  part  of  the  dwell- 
ing, is  another  smaller  courtyard,  called  the  "tras 
patio;"  it  is  a  kitchen  yard.  The  houses  of  Lima 
are  all  flat-roofed,  and  upon  these  roofs  are  trian- 
gular projections,  like  our  dormar  windows,  for 
the  purpose  of  admitting  air  and  light  to  the  rooms 
below.  These  apertures  are  closed  by  shutters, 
which  are  managed  by  long  cords  hanging  down 
into  the  room.  The  flagstafi"  which  we  have  no- 
ticed, is  an  indispensable  appendage,  for  it  becomes 
necessary  to  fly  banners  from  this,  on  the  many 
feast  and  saint  days  occurring  throughout  the  year. 
Churches  and  convents  are  conspicuous  objects 
in  every  part  of  the  city.  They  are  immense  struc- 
tures, surmounted  by  heavy  domes  and  steeples, 
their  fronts  displaying  a  complicated  maze  of  paint- 
ed stucco  work,  carving,  and  statuary.  In  some 
instances,  these   churches   and    convents   inclose 


PLAZA  AND  PUBLIC  BUILDINGS.  61 

"wittin  their  walls  the  whole  of  a  very  large  square, 
and  embrace  all  the  means  and  appliances  for  a 
life  of  comfort.  Porticos  neatly  paved,  and  sus- 
tained one  above  another  on  handsome  ornamental 
arches;  their  walls  covered  with  figured  porcelain 
and  paintings,  their  roofs  elaborately  carved,  sur- 
round gardens  of  shrubs,  flowers,  and  bubbling 
fountains — delightful  retreats  for  those  who  dwell 
in  "heavenly,  pensive  cantemplation." 

The  large  "plaza,"  a  public  square  of  Lima,  has 
the  great  clumsy-looking  cathedral  and  the  arch- 
bishop's palace  on  one  side,  the  government  house 
on  another,  and  the  remaining  two  are  formed  by 
the  "portales,"  covered  paved  walks  in  front  of 
dry  goods  and  fancy  stores,  and  opening  beneath 
arches  to  the  great  square  itself.  Under  the  por- 
tales and  upon  the  Calle  Mercad^res,  are  some  very 
handsome  and  showy  stores  of  French- goods,  kept 
by  Frenchmen.  The  silversmiths  are  gathered  to- 
gether in  another  street,  but  their  shops  are  small 
and  make  no  display.  Their  work  is  very  unsight- 
ly, having  no  neatness  of  shape  or  finish,  while  its 
price  is  the  very  highest  cost  of  the  best  work  done 
in  the  United  States.  Among  the  most  beautiful 
articles  displayed  in  these  shops  are  finely  wrought 
6 


62  FOUNDLING  ASYLUM. 

filagree  silver  work,  but  these  are  made  by  the  In- 
dians of  the  interior. 

There  are  but  few,  if  any  points  of  interest, 
other  than  that  of  association,  in  any  of  the  public 
buildings  of  Lima.  In  the  vaults  beneath  the  cathe- 
dral, a  mouldering  body  is  shown  as  that  of  Pizarro, 
but  "Quien  sabe."  The  rooms  of  the  Inquisition 
are  now  grated  prisons  for  the  lowest  criminals. 
The  hospitals  are  immense  establishments  of  filth, 
disease,  and  wretchedness.  The  horrors  of  one 
visit  to  one  of  these  establishments,  where  lunatics 
were  locked  up  en  masse  hi  a  court  yard,  like  wild 
beasts  in  a  pen,  are  never  to  be  forgotten.  Charity, 
as  an  active  virtue,  for  whose  proper  exercise  each 
individual  extending  it  is  responsible,  must,  of 
coilrse,  result  in  good;  but  those  countries  in  which 
it  is  a  generally  inculcated  principle,  working  with- 
out individual  responsibility,  show  it  to  be  produc- 
tive of  the  most  deplorable  efiects.  Shame  and 
mortification  at  the  reception  of  alms  seem  to  be 
lost;  its  objects  are  awfully  increased,  and  the  for- 
mal rule  being  met  by  the  pecuniary  emotion  of 
each  individual,  its  judicious  and  eflBcient  employ- 
ment is  lost  sight  of.  The  only  neat  and  comfort- 
able eleemosynary  establishment  it  was  my  fortune 
to  see  in  Lima,  was  the  foundling  hospital.     Here 


MUSEUM.  63 

babies,  who  have  no  owners,  and  there  are  many  of 
them,  are  deposited  in  a  cradle  in  the  wall  of  the 
establishment,  and  being  received  on  the  inside  are 
carefully  and  comfortably  provided  for. 

The  public  museum  and  library  are  in  the  same 
building,  and  are  open  to  free  admission  twice  a 
week.  In  the  museum  are  life-size  portraits  of  the 
forty-five  viceroys,  commencing  with  Pizarro.  It 
was  a  matter  of  some  interest  to  observe  the  change 
of  costume  presented  by  these  pictures.  First 
come  black  clothes,  and  high  stiflF  ruffs  about  the 
neck;  then  embroidery  begins  to  appear,  and  in- 
creases until  the  coats  of  the  old  Dons  are  solid 
with  it,  while  they  are  gaudy  in  .crimson  vests, 
breeches,  and  stockings.  Then  again  the  embroid- 
ery disappears,  until  it  just  borders  the  coat,  and 
nothing  is  left  of  the  crimson  garments  but  the 
bright  breeches.  From  the  old  viceroys  we  turn 
to  the  remains  of  those  yet  more  antique,  and  per- 
haps greater  characters,  the  mummies  of  the  an- 
cient Indians^-it  may  be  of  the  Incas  themselves. 
These  sat  grinning  in  glass  cases,  in  the  same  pos- 
ture they  were  taken  from  their  sepulchres,  the 
thighs  bent  upon  the  body,  legs  crossed  and  bent 
upon  the  thighs,  arms  crossed  over  the  chest,  the 
t'lbows  resting  on  the  knees,  and  the  chin  supported 


64  MARKET. 

by  the  hands.  In  this  museum  are  also  a  number 
of  Huacos,  or  vessels  and  images  of  earthen,  gold, 
or  silver  material,  taken  from  the  ancient  tombs. 

The  library,  in  the  same  building,  cojitains  about 
twenty-six  thousand  volumes,  conveniently  ar- 
ranged, and  among  them  are  some  valuable  books. 

Early  in  the  morning,  the  streets,  conducting 
to  the  great  mairket  square  of  Lima,  are  thronged 
with  the  people  on  their  way  to  or  from  this  place 
of  necessary  supply;  and,  as  the  streets  draw  near 
to  the  market,  they  are  almost  choked  by  the  ped- 
lers  of  shoes,  dry  goods,  fancy  articles,  and  lottery 
tickets — each  one  endeavoring  to  out-vociferate  the 
other  in  crying  the  cheapness  of  his  wares.  The 
square  itself  presents  an  animated  and  noisy  throng, 
chiefly  of  people  of  the  lower  classes  and  domestics, 
for  few  but  persons  of  this  class  visit  the  market 
in  Lima.  Around  three  sides  of  this  square  are 
ranged  the  sellers  of  fruits  and  vegetables,  with 
their  piles  of  apples,  oranges,  pine-apples,  cheri- 
moyas,  grenadillas,  potatoes  (sweet  and  Irish),  cab- 
bages, peas,  beans,  yucas,  cucumbers,  pumpkins, 
tomatoes,  and  radishes,  all  of  which  were  in  season 
at  the  time  of  our  visit.  On  the  fourth  side  there 
runs  a  stream  of  fresh  water,  and  here  are  placed 
the  dealers  in  fish.     The  centre  of  the  square  is 


CHERIMOYA.  65 

occupied  by  an  immense  shed,  constructed  of  mats 
supported  on  poles,  and  here  are  sold  the  meats. 
These  are  displayed  in  greasy  piles  on  rough  blocks 
and  benches.  The  meats,  however,  are  good,  par- 
ticularly the  pork  and  beef ; — than  the  beef  of  Lima 
there  can  be  none  better  in  the  world.  Chickens 
are  cut  up  and  sold  in  small  pieces,  for  the  accom- 
modation of  those  who  cannot  afford  the  extrava- 
gance of  an  entire  fowl.  Among  the  vegetables  is 
an  Irish  potato,  of  a  golden  yellow  color,  much 
esteemed.  The  cherimoya  is  the  finest  fruit.  It 
is  of  the  size  and  shape  of  a  large  pear,  and  has  a 
rough,  brownish  green  rind,  within  whi<;h  is  a  white 
saccharine  pulp,  enclosing  black  seeds.  Its  flavor 
has  been  likened  to  strawberries  and  cream,  but 
more  resembles  the  papaw  of  our  western  country 
bottoms,  without  having  its  palling  lusciousness. 

While  in  the  market-place,  I  noticed  a  young 
man  in  the  coarse  gray  cloth  habit  of  the  bare- 
footed friars,  carrying  a  huge  basket,  which  he 
placed  with  mechanical  indifference  before  each  pile 
of  fruits  or  vegetables;  he  scarcely  gave  a  look  at 
the  seller,  and  she,  for  they  were  generally  cholos, 
or  Indian  women,  for  some  minutes  paid  no  atten- 
tion to  him ;  then  she  would  pick  up  the  smallest 
potato,  or  cut  a  slice  of  pumpkin,  and  toss  it  with 
6' 


66  MARKETING  FRIAR. 

an  air  of  reluctance  into  the  basket.  I  followed 
him  for  some  time,  and  every  one  seemed  to  make 
it  a  point  to  keep  him  waiting  for  some  minutes; 
while  he,  with  well  practiced  patience,  endured  the 
delay :  not  a  word  passed  between  the  parties. 

To  the  great  comfort  and  convenience  of  the 
Limanians,  the  clear  waters  of  the  Rimac  are  flowing 
through  their  streets,  and,  fortunately,  carry  off 
much  of  the  filth  which  might  otherwise  be  left  by 
those  industrious  scavengers — the  turkey-buzzards, 
which  are  seen  in  great  numbers  through  the  streets, 
tame  as  domestic  fowls.  Frequently,  a  Lima  house- 
wife, of  an  humble  class,  may  be  seen  to  bring  the 
dishes  and  plates  from  the  dinner-table  and  wash 
them  in  these  street  gutters. 


SAYA-Y-MANTO.  67 


CHAPTER    VII. 

Saya-y-Manto — Dress  and  morals — Lottery  ticket  venders — Lottery 
drawing — Gambling  propensity. 

Having,  in  the  last  chapter,  taken  a  general  view 
of  Lima,  \ve  will  now  turn  our  attention  to  the  living 
beings  to  be  se^n  in  its  streets.  The  eye  will  be 
first  arrested  by  the  many  females  habited  in  the 
celebrated  saya-y-manto. 

The  saya  is  a  petticoat,  made  of  silk,  stitched  in 
very  narrow  plaits  upon  a  foundation,  or  lining  of 
small-figured  calico ;  this  petticoat  is  generally  of 
black,  light  blue,  or  rich  brown  silk;  it  embraces 
the  waist  closely,  and  falls  loosely  to  the  feet.  The 
manto,  is  an  impenetrable  black-silk  veil,  passing 
from  beneath  the  waist  of  the  petticoat  and  folded 
over  the  shoulders  and  head,  as  a  kind  of  hood, 
covering  all  the  upper  part  of  the  person  closely, 
except  one  eye ;  one  hand  is  concealed  beneath  this 
manto,  holding  it  across  the  face,  while  the  other, 
particularly  if  handsome,  or  decorated  by  a  rich 
ring,  is  permitted  to  steal  through  a  narrow  opening 


68  SAYA-Y-MANTO. 

in  the  manto,  and  through  this  same  opening  falls 
the  fringed  or  embroidered  ends  of  a  rich  and  bright 
colored  silken  shawl,  crimson  and  blue  being  the 
favorite  colors.  The  saya  never  falls  so  low  as  to 
conceal  the  satin  shoes  and  silk  stockings  which 
every  Limanian  female  wears,  or  more  than  poor  is 
she  who  does  not.  Attracted  by  an  ankle  neatly 
covered  with  a  new-looking  glossy  silk  stocking, 
the  stranger  will  be  somewhat  surprised  upon  raising 
his  eyes  to  the  figure  above,  to  see  a  negro  or  In- 
dian market  girl,  or  else  a  female  in  shabby  and 
tattered  saya-y-manto.  So  that  the  "  silk  stocking 
gentry"  may  not  be,  in  Lima,  aristocratic  people; 
and,  on  the  other  hand,  the  tattered  costume  may 
be  no  evidence  of  inferior  condition ;  as  this  "  saya- 
rota,"  as  it  is  called,  is  sometimes  assumed  for  the 
purpose  of  more  efficient  disguise.  Concealed  in 
the  saya-y-manto,  the  lady  is  thoroughly  disguised 
from  all — father,  husband,  or  brother;  and  the  feel- 
ing of  immunity  from  discovery,  gives  a  daring 
boldness  to  the  one  eye  fixed  in  searching  brilliancy 
upon  the  passer  by,  and  imposes  upon  him  an  an- 
noying perplexity  whether  it  is  the  familiar  glance 
of  some  acquaintance,  or  the  impudence  of  an  im- 
penetrable incognito.  It  is  difiicult  to  rid  one's  self 
of  the  feeling  that  every  eye  looking  thus  familiarly 


DRESS  AND  MORALS.  69 

must  belong  to  some  one  well  known  to  us.  When 
first  seen,  the  saya-y-manto  impresses  one  as  an 
attractive  and  picturesque  costume,  but  it  is  want- 
ing in  the  physiognomical  individuality  of  varied 
dress,  which,  with  each  person,  permits  some  display 
of  character;  it  soon  wearies  by  its  universal  same- 
ness, and  one  sighs  for  the  display  of  variety  and 
taste  permitted  in  the  dress  of  our  own  ladies,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  honest  exposure  of  bright  and 
beautiful  faces.  This  contrast  comes  upon  one 
with  the  effect  of  pleasing  surprise,  if,  when  moving 
amid  throngs  of  these  "tapadas,"  as  these  veiled 
women  are  called,  one  meets  suddenly  a  foreign 
lady  in  European  costume :  then  only  can  all  its 
richness,  life,  and  elegance,  be  appreciated,  ^he 
association  of  the  secure  disguise  of  the  Limanian 
dress  with  a  loose  state  of  morals,  must  be  evident, 
whether  the  dress  has  been  the  device  of  a  pre- 
viously existing  immoral  condition  of  society,  or 
by  its  facilities  has  produced  that  condition.  But 
Lima  is  improving  with  the  rest  of  the  world:  it  is 
just  beginning  to  be  perceived  that  wearing  the 
saya-y-manto  is  not  exactly  the  thing;  and,  although 
very  convenient  to  those  who  are  too  indolent  to 
make  a  toilet  when  going  upon  the  street,  it  is  the 
opinion  of  many  residents  of  Lima  that  it  will  ra- 


70  DRESS  AND  MORALS. 

pidly  pass  out  of  fashion.  It  is  now  considered 
disreputable  for  a  lady  to  wear  one  on  the  street  at 
night.  It  is  somewhat  remarkable  that  it  is  never 
worn  out  of  Lima;  it  is  never  seen  in  Callao ;  yet 
the  ladies  of  Callao  keep  them  for  use  during  their 
visits  to  Lima. 

The  remarks  respecting  uniformity  of  costumes, 
will  apply  to  the  walk  of  the  ladies.  It  is  that  of 
a  studied  system,  which  wearies  by  its  art  and 
sameness;  it  is  devoid  of  spirituality,  and  admits 
of  no  peculiarity  arising  from  individual  character. 
But  while  we  are  engaged  so  attentively  in  study- 
ing the  costume  of  the  ladies,  we  are  startled  by 
some  one  crying  out  in  a  hurried  manner  "cuidado," 
"cuidado,"  sounding  as  if  pronounced  cudow,  and 
meaning  "take  care ;"  and,  unless  we  immediately 
attend  to  the  warning,  we  run  some  risk  of  being 
run  over  by  a  drove  of  donkeys,  which,  driven  by 
a  ragged  negro,  who  has  given  us  the  warning,  and, 
loaded  with  fagots  of  firewood  or  bundles  of  clovfef, 
has  monopolized  both  streets  ai|d  sidewalks,  ren- 
dering it  a  matter  of  security  and  necessity  to  jump 
into  a  neighboring  door,  or  press  close  to  the  wall, 
to  avoid  them.  ^r.,.1:.:  ^I       .Vf  . . 

Water  carriers,  venders  of  milk,  venders  of  bread, 
are  seen  in  every  direction  carrying  their  wares  on 


LOTTERY  MEN.  71" 

the  backs  of  donkeys,  the  proprietor  sitting  behind 
them,  almost  on  the  tail  of  the  little  animal. 

Most  conspicuous  among  the  street  characters  of 
Lima  are  the  sellers  of  lottery  tickets ;  generally, 
thin,  haggard  old  men,  in  seedy  garb,  who  look  as 
though  they  had  passed  through  every  make-shift 
mode  of  getting  a  living,  and  finally  adopted  this 
as  a  means  of  supporting  existence  upon^he  small- 
est physical,  intellectual,  or  pecuniary  capital. 
They  are  encountered  in  every  thoroughfare,  with 
narrow,  long  books,  in  greasy,  black  leather  covers, 
under  their  arms,  and  a  pen  and  small  inkstand 
in  their  hands,  while,  wherever  a  collection  of  peo- 
ple may  be  found,  is  heard  their  constant  cry, 
"suerte,"  "suerte."  One  of  these  starveling  emis- 
saries of  the  blind  goddess,  having  just  passed  us, 
has  met  a  customer  in  the  person  of  a  portly  old 
man,  with  shaven  crown,  and  the  long  white  habit 
of  a  Franciscan  friar. 

The  tickets  are  coarsely  printed  in  a  column  on 
one  edge  of  a  narrow  sheet  of  paper,  each  ticket 
being  about  an  inch  square;  and,  when  sold,  the 
purchaser's  name  is  entered  on  a  line  adjoining  the 
space  from  which  the  ticket  is  cut,  and  its  number 
is  recorded  on  the  opposite  edge  of  the  page.  The 
price  of  a  ticket  is  a  rial,  or  twelve  and  a  half  cents, 


72  .  LOTTERY  DRAWING. 

and  the  iitgliest  prize  is  a  thousand  dollars.  It 
may  readily  be  supposed  there  are  not  many  prizes. 
The  drawing  takes  place  every  Tuesday,  in  the 
plaza,  and  is  conducted  with  much  formality. 

On  one  side  of  the  plaza,  opposite  to  the  cathe— s 
dral,  a  temporary  stage  and  apartment  are  erected, 
open  in  front  to  the  public.  In  the  forepart  of  this 
stage  are  three  large,  hollow,  wooden  globes,  painted 
yellow,  and  turning  upon  the  stands  which  support 
them  by  means  of  a  crank.  A  small  door  opens 
into  each  ball.  By  the  side  of  each  globe,  the 
numbers  to  go  into  it  were  displayed  upon  in- 
clined planes,  so  as  to  be  open  to  the  public  view. 
The  numbers  being  painted  on  small,  flat,  round 
blocks.  At  a  table,  behind  these  arrangements,  sit 
three  respectable  looking  men,  with  all  the  gravity 
of  judges  of  life  and  death.  Three  old  men  to 
turn  the  globes,  and  three  small  boys  to  take  out 
the  numbers,  complete  the  machinery.  As  the  hour 
of  decision  approaches,  a  motley  crowd  gathers 
about  the  place.  Women  in  saya-y-manto,  nurses 
with  children  in  their  arms,  ragged  soldiers,  friars, 
priests,  and  a  multitude  of  indescribables,  a-donkey 
back  and  a-foot.  At  the  designated  moment,  the 
three  old  men  who  turn  the  globes  cast  the  numbers 


LOTT^iRY  DRAWING.  73 

into  them:  thousands  in  that  on  the  right;  hun- 
dreds  m  the  middle,  and  tens  in  the  third.  Being 
now  rolled  backwards  and  forwards  a  few  times, 
the  doors  are  simultaneously  opened,  and  each  one 
of  the  little  boys  takes  out  a  number;  without 
looking  at  them,  they  hold  these  numbers  at  arms 
length  out  to  the  people.  The  boys  then  walk  up 
to  the  table  and  place  their  hands  cloSfe  together 
before  the  judges,  these  record  it,  and  having  in- 
formed one  of  the  old  men  who  turn  the  globes,  he 
announces  it  and  the  possessor  of  the  prize  to  the 
spectators,  in  a  loud,  singing,  monotonous  voice. 
The  numbers  are  again  returned  to  the  globes  and 
the  same  process  repeated,  until  the  prizes  are  all 
drawn. 

These  lotteries  are  the  property  of  a  society 
called  the  beneficdncia,  and  their  profits  are  ap- 
plied to  hospitals  and  charitable  institutions.  The 
beneficdncia  farms  the  lottery  out;  and  some  idea 
may  be  formed  of  the  numbers  of  the  tickets  sold, 
from  the  fact  that  the  sale  of  the  lottery  for  this 
year  brought  forty-two  thousand  seven  hundred 
dollars,  and  will  undoubtedly  yield  a  large  profit 
to  the  purchasers. 

The  propensity  to  gamble,  finds  every  opportunity 
for  indulgence  in  Lima,  and  it  is  sometimes  made 
7 


74  GAMBLING  PROPENSITY. 

available  in  a  competition  for  customers  among 
sljop-keepers.  Seeing  a  throng  gathered  about 
the  door  of  a  small  cigar  shop,  I  found  the  pro- 
prietor busily  engaged  in  selling  cigars  by  the 
medios,  or  six  cents'  worth,  and  presenting  to  each 
purchaser  tickets  in  a  lottery  of  trifles  whicli  were 
displayed  in  an  adjoining  case. 


0 


SUNDAY  IN  LIMA.  75 


CHAPTER    VIII.. 

Sunday  in  Lima — Pantheon  car — Religious  procession — Beautiful 
scene — Old  bridge — The  Host — Almas  —  The  Amancaes — 
Alameda — Descalsos.  jjH 

r  •    •» 

One  accustomed  to  the  quiet  Sabbath-day  scenes 
of  our  own  land,  in  which,  though 

"  Fresh  glides  the  brook,  and  blows  the  gale, 
Yet  yonder  halts  the  quiet  mill; 
The  whirring  wheel,  the  rushing  sail. 
How  motionless  and  still!" 

will  be  forcibly  reminded  of  his  distance  from  that 
land,  and  the  diflferent  people  he  is  now  among,  by 
the  scenes  of  Sunday  in  the  capital  of  Peru. 

Early  in  the  morning,  the  militia  were  drilling 
in  the  plaza;  and,  upon  directing  my  steps  that 
way,  I  saw  groups  of  persons  gazing  upon  some 
pictures  suspended  at  the  entrance  to  the  "portdl." 
These  proved  to  be  large  and  glaring  signs,  or  ad- 
vertisements, painted  upon  muslin  stretched  over 
wooden  frames ;  one  announcing  the  bull-bait  for 
to-morrow,  and  the  other  the  cock-fight  for  to-day. 

Around  the  borders  of  that  advertising  the  bull- 


76  PANTHEON  CAR. 

bait,  were  painted  some  of  the  scenes  of  greatest 
interest  to  be  expected  in  the  coming  exhibition. 
One  represented  the  animal  impaled  upon  a  spear, 
and  another  showed  him  victoriously  goring  a  man 
to  death,  and  exciting  much  expectation  for  the 
spirit  and  piquancy  of  the  exhibition.  The  cock- 
fight sign  merely  represented  two  of  these  combat- 
ive birds  holding  in  their  beaks  the  notice  to  the 
public.  Leaving  this  scene,  and  crossing  the  plaza 
to  the  cathedral,  a  large  heavy  hearse  is  seen  stand- 
ing before  the  door.  This  is  the  Pantheon  car, 
"which,  having  been  its  rounds  to  collect  the  dead 
of  the  previous  night,  has  brought  them  here  to  re- 
ceive the  last  offices  of  religion.  The  driver  was 
in  the  act  of  loading  it  up  with  the  bodies  which 
had  undergone  the  ceremony.  Already,  there  were 
two  bodies  in  the  hearse,  one  in  a  coffin  covered 
with  black  muslin,  and  the  other  lying  upon  the 
bottom  of  the  vehicle,  without  any  such  casing. 
He  was  efideavoring  to  force  a  third  in  over  these, 
and  while  struggling  with  his  loathsome  load,  the 
few  persons  standing  by  were  making  themselves 
merry  at  his  efforts.  On  the  ground  beside  the 
hearse  lay  an  open  coffin  lined  with  white  muslin, 
which  was  one  used  temporarily,  during  the  per- 
formance of  the  service,  for  such  bodies  as  came 


RELIGIOUS  PROCESSION.  77 

there  unprovided  mik  sucli  a  receptacle.  Having 
made  up  his  load,  the  man  snatched  up  this  empty 
coffin,  deposited  it  in  the  church,  mounted  one  of 
his  mules,  and  drove  off  entirely  unattended.  The 
stores  and  shops  were  generally,  but  not  universally 
closed,  and  the  contents  of  toy  and  picture  shops 
seemed  to  be  turned  out  into  the  portdl,  the  whol(^?,. 
range  of  which  was  occupied  with  pedlers'  stands. 
While  strolling  through  the  streets,  my  attentiou 
was  attracted  by  a  tremendous  ringing  of  bells  and 
firing  of  rockets,  and,  proceeding  in  the  direction 
of  these  discordant  sounds,  I  reached  the  church 
and  convent  of  San  Francisco.  A  dense  crowd 
filled  the  large,  open  square  in  front  of  the  build- 
ing, from  various  points  of  which,  and  from  its 
steeples,  were  fluttering  numbers  of  toy  flags.  Men 
and  boys  were  on  the  roof,  firing  the  rockets,  while 
others  in  the  belfry  had  hold  of  the  clappers,  rat- 
tling them  furiously  from  one  side  .to  the  other; 
and,  amid  all  this  noise  and  confusion,  the  lean  and 
hungry  looking  lottery  man  was  bawling  out,  "su- 
erte,  suerte." 

Entering  the  church,  it  presented  quite  an  im- 
posing appearance.  A  range  of  lofty  arches  sup- 
ported the  ceiling,  and  separated  thf^  body  of  the 
church  from  the  side  aisles.     Numbers  of  long,  wide 


78  RELIGIOUS  PROCESSION. 

ribbons  of  various  gay  colors,  blue,  yellow,  and  pink, 
hung  in  sweeping  curves  from  the  ceiling  and  tops 
of  the  pillars,  crossing  each  other  in  every  direction, 
while  hundreds  of  lights  were  glimmering  through 
the  smoke  of  burning  incense.  Those  in  the  church 
were  gathered  around  the  figure  of  a  female,  the 
size  of  life,  richly  and  gayly  dressed  in  silk  with 
gold  and  silver  embroidery,  supported  upon  a  car 
of  crimson  silk  velvet,  ornamented  with  fringes  of 
gold  cord.  The  whole  affair  was  ait  arrangement 
for  a  religious  procession,  which  got  under  way  soon 
after  my  arrival.  First  started  three  old,  gray- 
bearded  negroes  in  ragged  garments,  one  blowing 
a  clarionet,  another  a  flageolet,  and  the  third  beat- 
ing a  drum.  Such  time-worn  and  battered  instru- 
ments are  rarely  seen  in  use;  black  as  the  hands 
which  held  them,  the  clarionet  and  flageolet  were 
wrapped  with  twine  to  close  their  numerous  cre- 
vices; the  drum  had  lost  all  cylindrical  shape,  and 
all  definable  color.  Following  these  votaries  of 
the  "  Heavenly  Maid,"  as  they  passed  out  of  the 
church,  came  two  lines  of  men  and  boys  bearing 
candles,  and  after  these  came  women  with  open 
silver  censers  in  their  hands,  containing  burning 
coals,  upon  which,  from  time  to  time,  they  sprinkled 
powdered  incense.     Both  these  parties  seemed  to 


\ 


RELIGIOUS  PROCESSION.  79 

be  volunteers,  who  had  zealously  taken  these  duties 
upon  themselves.  Next  cati^e  the  figure,  with  a 
column  of  friars  on  each  side,  and  after  these,  under 
a  silken  canopy,  borne  by  four  boys,  walked  a 
priest  carrying  the  Host,  and  at  the  approach  of 
this,  all  went  down  upon  their  knees.  In  this  order, 
the  procession  moved  around  the  convent  yard, 
stopping  and  chanting  before  the  shrine  of  a  saint 
in  each  corner  of  the  yard;  and  then  it  moved  out 
into  the  open  square  before  the  church,  making  the 
same  round,  accompanied,  during  the  whole,  by  the 
mingled  noises  of  the  cracked  clarionet,  the  flageo- 
let, and  battered  drum,  the  explosion  of  rockets, 
ringing  of  bells,  and  crashing  music  from  a  large 
band  also  in  attendance. 

In  the  afternoon,  the  cockpit  was  the  resort  of 
a  large  number  of  ladies  and  gentlemen;  while 
others  sought  the  fashionable  promenades  of  the 
Alam^das.  Boys  were  busy  selling  hand-bills,  or 
programmes  of  to-morrow's  bull-bait,  and  these 
hand-bills,  as  an  illustration  of  manners,  may  be 
worth  noticing.  The  first  page,  embellished  with 
two  of  the  animals  in  furious  combat,  announces 
the  day  and  place  of  exhibition,  and  that  the  judge 
will  be  the  Intendant  of  Police;  the  two  inner  pages 
are  occupied  by  verses  of  a  grossly  immoral  cha* 


80  BEAUTIFUL  SCENE. 

racter;  the  fourth  gives  the  fancy  names  of  the 
btills,  and  the  names  of  their  persecutors  and  com- 
petitors. 

Such  are  some  of  the  scenes  of  Sunday,  in  Lima, 
and  amid  a  portion  of  them  one  can  scarce  recon- 
cile to  himelf  that  he  is  still  in  that  world,  and 
among  that  people  to  whom  God  has  said,  "  Keep 
holy  the  Sabhath  day."  This  desecrated  Sabbath 
closed  in  a  scene  displaying  the  magnificence  and 
beauty  of  nature.  As  I  stood  in  the  Alamdda, 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  Rimac,  a  misty  cloud,  which 
during  the  whole  day  had  veiled  the  sky,  as  the 
sun  went  down,  lifted  around  the  horizon,  but  still 
hung  heavily  above.  The  bright  rays  of  the  setting 
sun  darted  beneath  this  curtain,  and  through  the 
opening  in  the  mountains  which  inclose  the  valley 
of  the  Rimac,  illuminated  the  houses,  domes,  and 
steeples  of  the  city  on  the  opposite  bank,  and,  fol- 
lowing the  river,  sparkled  upon  its  waters  as  they 
rushed  to  the  Pacific,  which 

"  Glowed  in  the  south,  a  sea  of  burning  gold." 

Much  walking  about  Lima  convinces  one,  pain- 
fully, that,  in  its  arrangements,  the  comfort  of  pe- 
destrians was  not  consulted,  the  sidewalks  being 
exceedingly  narrow  and  rugged.     Most  of  the  time 


\ 


OLD  BrVgE.  81 

\ 

one's  foot  is  being  twisted  b^ween  irregular  stones, 
or  supported  unequally  on  th&r  projecting  points; 
and-~yet  the  stranger,  fatiguel  by  a  day  of  such 
promenading,  finds  no  assurance  of  sleep  amid  the 
annoyances  of  a  Lima  night.  I\eas  assail  him  in 
bed,  and  every  half  hour  he  is  startled  by  the  shrill 
whistle  of  the  "sereno,"  or  watchi^an,  and  every 
fifteen  minutes  huge  bells  mark  the  slow  advance 
of  time's  footsteps ;  as  morning  comes,  slumber  is 
frightened  by  discordant  noises  in  the  streets,  made 
up  of  cries,  the  ringing  of  bells,  beating X)f  drums, 
and  the  screaming  of  harsh  trumpets. 

The  greater  portion  of  Lima  is  separated  from 
a  less,  called   the  suburb  of   San  Lazaro,  \j  the 
Rimac,  a  mountain  stream,  which  comes  dashing 
over  a  rocky  and  pebbly  bed.     A  bridge  is  thi\jwn 
across  the  river,  and  forms  the  thoroughfare  frW 
the  city  to  San  Lazaro,  and,  through  this  subm^, 
to  two  of  the  most  fashionable  Alam^das.     Thik 
bridge  was  built  in  1610,  and  it  is  entered  upon\ 
beneath  three  arches,  a  broad  one  across  the  centre 
of  the  street,  and  two  smaller  across  each  sidewalk  j 
turrets  and  spires  surmount  these  arches. 

The  bridge  is  a  fashionable  evening  promenade, 
especially  on  Sundays  and  feast  days.  .  Semicir- 
cular recesses,  with  stone  seats,  open  from  the  side- 


82  CARRYIKG  THE  HOST. 

walks  crossing,  the  bridge,  and  these  are  filled  by 
visitors,  chiefly  females  in  saya-y-manto,  gazing 
upon  the  living  columns  moving  to  and  fro ;  while  on 
the  opposite  side  o/"  the  pathway,  with  their  backs  tO' 
the  wall,  and  the:r  faces  to  the  foe,  stunds  a  line 
of  beaux,  arrayad  in  their  most  attractive  attire, 
and  gazing  with  their  two  eyes  into  the  bright  one 
shooting  from  the  masked  battery  opposite. 

At  the  ertrance  to  the  bridge,  an  old  man  makes 
his  living  by  the  sale  of  a  curious  article,  no  other 
than  the  stumps  of  well  used  cigars,  which  are  ex- 
posed to  the  purchasers  on  a  waiter. 

The  chief  attraction  to  the  bridge  is,  of  course, 
the  animation  of  the  moving  column  of  living  beings, 
but  ic  also  presents  some  of  the  most  pleasant  views 
of  tie^city.  Looking  down  the  river,  its  left  bank 
is  jverhung  by  the  gardens  of  convents  and  dwell- 
iBg  houses,  the  view  terminating  in  the  Pacific. 
Upward  are  seen  the  green  avenues  of  trees  in  the 
Alamdda  del  Acho,  beyond  these  the  gardens  of 
the  valley,  and  beyond  them  the  white  turrets  of 
the  Pantheon,  the  whole  bounded  by  the  ridge  of 
mountains  which  incloses  the  valley  of  the  Rimac. 
A  frequent  and  strange  spectacle  in  Lima,  is  the 
passage  of  the  Host  through  the  streets ;  and  it  is 
one  which  either  illustrates  the  depth  of  the  reli- 


CARRYING  THE  HOST.  83 

gious  faculty  in  man,  or  the  absurdities  of  supersti- 
tion. Standing  in  a  small  shop  in  the  evening, 
soon  after  my  arrival  in  the  city,  my  attention  was 
attracted  by  the  approaching  tinkling  of  a  small 
bell,  accompanied  by  a  monotonous  and  very  un- 
pleasant song  or  chant,  apparently  being  screech- 
ed by  two  voices.  In  looking  up  the  street,  I  no- 
ticed that  all  on  it  stopped  and  pressed  closely  to 
the  wall,  or  stepped  into  a  door- way;  presently 
there  came  along  a  procession  preceded  by  two 
dirty  looking  negro  wenches,  who  were  the  vocal- 
ists of  the  horrid  screech;  following  these  were  two 
lines  of  a  shabby  rabble,  mostly  negroes,  carrying 
lanterns,  and  between  these  moving  rows  of  light, 
walked  a  priest  bearing  the  Host;  four  boys  sustain- 
ed the  canopy  over  his  head.  As  it  drew  near, 
all  the  people  sank  on  their  knees,  wherever  it  might 
be.  Wo  in  the  shop,  desirous  to  conform  to  the 
customs,  with  some,  and  what  we  thought  a  proper 
show  of  respect,  uncovered  our  heads,  but  one  of 
the  lantern-bearing  negroes,  happening  to  observe 
our  erect  position,  poured  some  threatening  words 
upon  us,  accompanied  by  indignant  gestures ;  ho 
was  compelled,  however,  to  move  on  with  the  pro- 
cession, without  giving  any  farther  evidence  of  his 
anger. 


84  ALMAS. 

On  the  corner  of  some  of  the  streets  of  Lima, 
a  curious  device  is  adopted,  to  remind  people  of 
their  obligations  to  such  unfortunates  as  are  in  the 
pains  of  purgatory.  Figures  of  the  human  head 
and  chest,  are  painted  surrounded  by  flames ;  these 
are  called  "almas,"  souls,  and  are  supposed  to  re- 
present the  condition  of  those  not  yet  relieved ;  a 
box  near,  for  the  collection  of  money,  affords  those 
so  disposed  an  opportunity  to  aid  in  their  relief 
from  such  an  unpleasant  position. 

A  sudden  departure  from  Lima,  postponed  any 
farther  observations  on  it,  until  the  month  of  June, 
when  a,  great  national  festival  rejoices  the  whole 
people. 

"The  Amancaes,"  "the  Amancaes."  For  a  week 
or  more  before  the  24th  of  June,  St.  John's  day, 
every  one  was  talking  about  the  feast  of  Amancaes; 
and,  upon  inquiry,  I  learned  that  this  was  the  name 
of  a  flower,  a  valley,  and  a  frolic.  People  resort 
to  the  valley  for  the  frolic,  at  the  season  when  the 
flower  springs  up.  ^ 

The  valley  is  a  desolate  and  sterile  spot,  about .' 
three  miles  from  the  northern  part  of  Lima,  and 
the  flower  is  a  yellow  lily,  which  springs  up  and 
covers  these  barren  hills,  a  few  days  previous  to 
St.  John's  day.     The  popular  belief  is,  that  al- 


THE  VALE  OF  AMANCAES.  85 

though  there  may  not  be  one  of  these  flowers  visi- 
ble two  days  before,  they  are  sure  to  be  there  on 
the  appointed  day,  when  the  whole  population  of 
Lima  throws  loose  the  reins  of  enjoy mentj  and,  in 
all  the  excitement  of  unchecked  pleasure,  throngs 
to  the  valley  of  Amancaes,  arrayed  in  all  the  gaye- 
ties  of  holiday  costume. 

Throwing  myself  into  the  current  of  horsemen 
aijd  horse-women,  of  carriages  and  pedestrians,  I 
took  my  way  out  of  the  city,  and  through  the  wil- 
low-tree walk,  called  the  Alameda  de  los  Descalsos. 
Beyond  the  Alameda,  the  road  passed,  for  some  dis- 
tance, through  the  handsome  groves  and  plantations 
of  the  suburbs.  At  the  point  where  the  road  en- 
tered the  mouth  of  the  valley,  two  temporary 
chapels  were  erected,  decorated  with  gay  banners 
and  ribbons,  and  each  tenanted  by  a  saint  in  gaudy 
garb,  for  the  purpose  of  levying  contributions  upoft 
those  whose  liberality  was  expected  to  be  expand- 
ing under  the  anticipations  of  sport  and  mirth. 

Each  passer  by,  on  foot,  in  vehicles,  or  on  horse- 
back, was  surrounded  by  a  group  of  men  and  wo- 
men, boys  and  girls,  importunately  thrusting  out 
small  plates,  and  clamorously  soliciting  donations. 
They  were  not  easily  evaded,  the  females  would 
8 


86  THE  VALE  OF  AMANCAES. 

seize  hold  of,  and  tenaciously  cling  to  the  persons 
of  all  who  attempted  to  get  oflf  free.  Having  with 
a  very  good  will  made  my  contribution  in  the  plate 
of  the  prettiest  girl  at  the  first  chapel,  at  the  se- 
cond, which  was  only  a  few  feet  distant,  I  made 
some  objection,  upon  the  score  of  having  no  more 
small  change;  but  as  they  immediately  profiered  me 
change  and  a  bouquet,  I  felt  bound  to  comply  with 
the  terms. 

The  valley  of  Amancaes  opened  before  me,  a 
dreary  gorge  of  brown  sand  and  rock,  gradually 
ascending  and  narrowing  between  mountains  which 
jutted  irregularly  upon  it,  and  terminating  in  a 
point  at  the  iQ)per  extremity.  At  this  point  of 
termination,  about  a  mile  distant,  flags  were  seen 
flying  over  several  booths,  towards  which  the  full 
stream  of  people,  in  variegated  costume,  was  stead- 
ily flowing.  A  number  of  enterprising  people  had 
climbed  the  surrounding  hills,  and  were  seen  like 
moving  points  upon  their  brown  surface  up  to  their 
very  summits. 

Neatly  dressed  females,  in  Guayaquil  hats,  pon- 
chos, and  spur,  with  their  hair  hanging  in  ringlets 
over  their  shoulders,  or  in  long  plaits  down  their 
backs,  were  dashing  along  astride  their  horses, 
some  of  them  at  full  speed,  their  faces  lighted  by 


ALAMEDA  DK  LOS  DESCALSOS.  87 

merriment,  or  flushed  with  the  excitement  of  the 
scene. 

At  the  booths  were  collected  all  the  appliances 
of  a  saturnalia ; — chicha  and  Italia ;  eatal;>les,  and 
music  for  the  national,  voluptuous,  "  sama  cueca" 
dance,  which  would  undoubtedly  display  its  most 
disgusting  freedom  when  the  excitement  had  reach- 
ed its  proper  pitch.         . 

Bundles  of  the  yellow  lily  (which  must  have  been 
brought  from  high  up  the  hills,  as  none  were  grow- 
ing within  sight)  were  lying  about,  and  the  frolick- 
ers  had  themselves  and  their  horses  liberally  deco- 
rated with  the  blossom. 

The  interest  of  the  scene  was  soon  lost  to  one  not 
engaged  in  its  dissipations,  and  before  the  after- 
noon closed  I  returned  to  the  city.  As  I  passed 
through  the  Alameda  de  los  Descalsos,  it  presented 
a  most  animated  scene.  The  large  circular  enclo- 
sure of  stone  seats  which  terminated  the  Alameda, 
was  closely  filled  with  females  in  the  saya-y-manto ; 
the  carriage-road,  under  the  trees,  was  thronged 
with  people  of  wealth  and  fashion,  in  their  splendid 
equipages,  attended  by  servants,  in  liveries  gay 
with  crimson  and  gold  lace;  horsemen  displayed 
their  costly  caparisonings,  saddles  and  bridles  glit- 
tering with  plate  silver,  and  solid  spurs  of  the  same 


88  ALAMEDA  DE  LOS  DESCALSOS. 

metal.  In  the  whole  length  of  the  Alameda,  the 
.seats  were  closely  crowded  wath  "tapadas,"  bril- 
liant in  the  variety  of  their  rich-colored  shawls, 
and  dangerous  from  the  fascination  of  the  full  black 
eye,  flashing  from  beneath  the  dark  manto.  With 
the  sound  of  the  vesper  bell,  the  animated  masses 
retired,  and  the  gay  scene  was  dispelled  as  if  by  a 
magic  wand,  and,  as  evening  closed  in,  the  walks  of 
the  drooping  willow  were  left  silent,  dark,  and  soli- 
tary, but  lights  now  glimmered  from  the  rows  of 
houses  on  each  side  of  the  Alameda ;  the  sound  of 
the  guitar,  and  the  wild  scream  of  the  "saJoa 
cueca,"  told  of  the  masses  of  human  beings  in 

"The  wild  fury  of  voluptuous  sense     - 
^feere-  io«t "  -  - r ^ 


4^ t-»  ST. ;■  5--^Ai  s/» ^t-'f  i..s  '5  •  -\-i-  ■ 


BULL-BAIT  PROCKSSION.  89 


CHAPTER    IX 


Bull-bait  procession — Place  of  contest — The  fight — Death  of  the 
bull — Slow  murder — The  felon — Oracion. 


The  bull-bait,  where 

"Yells  the  mad  crowd  o'er  entrails  freshly  torn, 
Nor  shrinks  the  female  eye,  nor  even  affects  to  mourn," 

is  too  important  a  part  of  Limanian  enjoyment, 
to  be  allowed  to  approach  without  all  the  evidences 
of  pleasurable  anticipation  and  excitement.  For 
the  last  few  days,  the  almost  constant  salutation 
of  acquaintances  has  been ;  "  Are  you  going  to  the 
bull-bait?"  asked  with  the  assurance  of  an  aflSrma- 
tive  answer. 

To  keep  alive  the  excitement  and  expectation  of 
the  populace,  on  the  morning  of  the  day  of  enter- 
tainment, a  procession  paraded  the  streets  of  Lima, 
displaying  the  gaudy  equipments  in  which  the  ani- 
mals were  to  be  decorated  when  they  entered  the 
ring;  and  also  exhibiting  some  of  the  instruments 
for  their  torture. 

8» 


90  BULL-BAIT  PROCESSION. 

The  same  three  ragged  negroes,  with  the  cracked 
clarionet,  flageolet,  and  battered  drum,  who  were 
formerly  noticed  in  the  religious  procession,  headed 
this,  and  after  them  were  borne,  extended  upon 
frames,  the  square  pieces  of  gay  silk,  sparkling 
with  spangles  and  tinsel,  intended  as  ornamental 
coverings  for  the  backs  of  the  bulls.  Suspended 
on  poles  carried  by  boys,  were  the  short  spikes  in- 
tended to  be  thrust  into  the  bodies  of  the  animals; 
each  of  these  was  gayly  ornamented  with  fancy 
figures  of  bright-colored  paper,  and  enveloped  by 
net-work  balloons  of  the  same  material.  But  the 
most  conspicuous  articles  of  the  procession,  were 
three  figures  as  large  as  life,  borne  above  the  heads 
of  the  crowd.  These  figures  were  hollow,  con- 
structed of  light  reeds,  covered  with  painted  paper, 
and  filled  with  explosive  fireworks.  One  represent- 
ed an  English  peasant-girl,  in  a  gipsy  bonnet,  with 
a  small  basket  on  each  arm;  another  an  English 
dandy,  greatly  caricatured;  and  a  third  a  negro  in 
a  grotesque  attitude,  with  a  long  pipe  in  his  mouth. 
These  figures  were  to  be  placed  in  the  arena,  so  as 
to  invite  the  assaults  of  the  bull,  and,  by  their  ex- 
plosion, to  add  to  his  torment  and  fury. 

At  the  farthest  extremity  of  one  of  the  Alam^- 
das,  or  public  walks,  outside  of  the  city,  is  situated 


PLACE  OF  CONTEST.  91 

the  theatre  of  exhibition-r-a  large,  uncovered  am- 
phitheatre, surrounded  by  benches  and  boxes  ca- 
pable of  accommodating  many  thousand  persons. 
In  the  centre  of  this  arena  is  a  small  circular  en- 
closure of  posts,  each  post  sufficiently  distant  from 
the  other  to  admit  the  passage  and  give  refuge  to 
a  flying  man,  while  that  of  the  pursuing  bull  is 
effectually  obstructed.  On  one  side  of  th-e  amphi- 
theatre a  passage  and  gateway  give*  admission  to 
the  bulls;  over  this  is  the  seat  of  the  judge;  and 
opposite  to  it  another  passage  and  gateway  give 
entrance  to  the  contending  horsemen,  and  exit  to 
the  dead  bodies  of  all  who  may  fall  in  the  conflict, 
horse  or  man. 

Four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  being  the  hour  of 
commencement,  for  many  hours  before  this  time 
the  populace  were  thronging  along  the  line  of  the 
"AlamMa  del  Acho,"  and  making  its  way  to  the 
scene  of  attraction.  Under  the  trees  of  this  fine 
promenade,  the  Indian  female  venders  of  "chicha," 
"pisco"  (the  native  brandy),  and  "picantd,"  had 
spread  their  tables,  and  placed  their  jars  for  the 
temptation  of  the  passers  by.  At  two  in  the  after- 
noon a  very  good  volunteer  military  company  and 
band  of  music  were  on  the  march  to  the  amphi- 
theatre, and  I  mingled  with  the  crowd  accompanying 


^2  FIGHT  COMMENCES. 

them.  The  vast  amphitheatre  was  soon  animated 
and  filled  to  overflowing  with  a  living  mass  of  both 
sexes,  and  of  all  ranks,  colors,  and  ages.  Soldiers, 
Indians,  and  negroes,  with  all  the  constituents  of 
a  motley  mob,  occupied  the  open  benches,  and  the 
boxes  were  brilliant  with  the  bright-colored  shawls 
of  the  saya-j-manto-disguised  females,  and  with 
the  glittering  uniforms  of  military  officers. 

The  impatience  of  the  multitude  for  the  com- 
mencement of  the  exciting  exhibition  was  somewhat 
kept  in  check  by  the  performance  of  some  admir- 
able evolutions  by  the  volunteer  company.  These 
over,  preparations  commenced  for  the  more  impor- 
tant event  of  the  day. 

Twelve  men  entered  the  arena :  six  on  horseback, 
and  six  on  foot.  Part  of  those  on  foot  held  short 
implements  in  their  hands,  shaped  something  like 
a  bricklayer's  trowel;  others  being  armed  with 
straight  swords.  Those  on  horseback  had  long 
spears  in  1;heir  hands,  and  all  had  crimson  shawls 
or  cloaks  on  their  left  arms.  The  figure  of  the 
English  cottager  being  placed  in  the  arena,  these 
persons,  of  which  each  class  has  a  technical  name, 
drew  ofi^  to  one  side  of  the  ring,  with  the  exception 
of  a  single  horseman,  who  stationed  himself  at  the 
mouth  of  the  entrance  to  receive  the  bull  at  his 


THE  BATTLE.  93 

onset.  All  was  now  ready,  and  the  murmuring 
noise  of  the  assembled^  multitude  was  hushed  into 
the  silence  of  momentary  expectation ;  a  rocket 
whizzed  through  the  air — the  gate  flew  open,  and 
the  bull,  wild  with  fury,  into  which  he  had  been 
goaded,  rushed  into  the  arena.  He  rushed  imme- 
diately upon  the  horseman,  who  sprang  off  at  full 
speed  around  the  enclosure;  the  bull  following  in 
mad  pursuit,,  and  keeping  close  upon  the  flank  of 
the  horse.  The  rider  let  fly  his  red  cloak,  and 
streamed  it  through  the  air  before  the  bull's  eyes, 
who  plunged  his  horns  again  and  again  at  the  de- 
ceptive obstacle.  At  length  he  paused,  in  disap- 
pointment; and  now  the  other  men  and  horsemen 
rushed  at  him  in  a  body,  irritating  him  by  loud 
cries,  and  flaunting  the  crimson  cloaks  in  his  face. 
Amid  clouds  of  dust,  and  the  shouts  of  the  asseu*- . 
bled  and  excited  multitude,  he  rushed  upon  first 
one  and  then  another  of  his  tormentors.  Of  the 
men  on  foot,  one  would  stand  and  wait  firmly  as 
the  bull  came  rushing  upon  him,  and,  as  he  bowed 
his  head  to  gore  him,  would  spring  nimbly  aside 
and  receive  the  thrust  upon  the  crimson  shawl. 
Another,  flying,  would  conduct  the  pursuing  animal 
to  the  central  enclosure,  when  the  man,  gliding  be- 
tween the  posts,  and  turning  quickly,  as  the  bull 


94  THE  BATTUBT 


1^^ 


dashed  his  head  against  the  enclosure,  thrust  sharp- 
ened iron  spikes  into  his  shoulders,  and  left  them 
sticking  there. 

Turning  in  pain  and  wild  rage  from  these  perse- 
cutors, the  hull  came  suddenly  upon  one  of  the 
•men  advancing  towards  him.  The  man  had  not 
time  to  prepare  to  receive  him,  and  turned  to  fly; 
he  was  some  distance  from  shelter,  and  as  the  bull 
gained  upon  him  the  spectators  gloried  in  the  ex- 
citement of  this  pursuit,  and  loud  cries  of  "  Hurrah 
for  the  bull!"  "Hurrah  for  the  bull !"  showed  which 
had  their  sympathies.  The  bull  gained  rapidly 
upon  his  flying  enemy,  and,  as  he  lowered  his  horns 
for  a  toss,  the  man  leaped  over  the  barrier  and 
among  the  spectators,  much  to  the  disappointment 
of  all  who  expected  a  more  thrilling  termination  to 
the  race.  The  paper  figure  now  attracted  his  fury, 
and  with  one  plunge  of  his  horns  he  demolished  it; 
birt  found  his  head  and  face  in  the  midst  of  the  fire 
and  noise  of  exploding  crackers.  ' 

Having  been  vexed,  worried,  and  goaded  in  this 
manner  sufficiently  long,  one  of  the  horsemen,  to 
whom  was  assigned  the  task  of  dispatching  him, 
approached  for  that  purpose.  The  bull  rushed  upon 
the  horse's  fore  shoulder,  and  nearly  overturned 
him,  but  the  rider  wheeled  and  returned  to  the 


>  DEATH  OF  THE  BULL.  95 

encounter.  This  time  the  bull  thrust  his  horns 
under  the  shoulder  and  breast  of  the  horse,  and, 
with  a  toss,  slightly  raised  his  fore  legs  from  the 
ground,  and,  as  the  bull  turned  from  the  attack, 
the  legs  of  the  horse  were  seen  crimsoned  with  his 
own  blood.  A  third  time,  and  more  ^euccessfully, 
they  came  upon  the  devoted  bull,  and,  as  he  lowered 
his  head  to  meet  the  assault,  the  horseman  passed 
rapidly  on  one  side,  and  plunged  the  spear  deep 
into  the  neck  at  the  junction  of  the  head.  He 
sank  to  the  ground,  and  instantly, 

"Without  a  groan,  without  a  struggle,  dies." 

The  drums  now,  rolled,  and  the  breathlessness  of 
hushed  excitement  broke  into  the  confused  murmur 
of  many  voices. 

Four  horses,  harnessed  to  an  axle  on  low  wheels, 
were  now  brought  in,  and  the  dead  bull's  head  be- 
ing lashed  to  the  axle,  they  bounded  out  of  the 
ring  at  full  speed- 

The  next  bull  was  to  be  killed  by  one  of  the  men 
on- foot,  with  swords.  The  English  dandy  figure 
took  the  place  of  that  of  the  peasant-girl ;  another 
rocket  flew  through  the  air,  and  the  enraged  ani- 
mal dashed  into  the  ring.  Having  gone  the  same 
round  of  Yforrying,  had  pikes  thrust  into  him,  and 


96  SLOW  MURDEKr  -*? 

firearms  exploded  about  him,  his  antagonist,  when 
the  animal  was  in  his  wildest  fury,  advanced  to  the 
encounter  of  life  and  death.  The  bull  having  dis- 
covered him,  came  upon  him  with  desperate  rapid- 
ity, but  the  man  stood  immovably  upright  to  receive 
the  attack,  and,  as  the  bull  bowed  his  head  for  the 
plunge,  which  it  appeared  must  toss  the  man  into 
the  air,  at  this  critical  moment,  the  "mataddr" 
thrust  forward  the  red  cloak  on  his  left  arm,,  and 
uncovered  the  naked  sword  in  his  right  hand; — 
the  next  moment  it  is  buried  to  the  hilt  in  the  chest 
of  the  animal.  The  "  mataddr"  stepped  back,  the 
poor  brute  turned  his  head  up,  with  his  eyes  fixed 
upon  the  gay  boxes,  in  a  look  of  deep  agony;  a 
crimson  column  spouted  from  his  mouth,  his  head 
dropped,  and  he  fell  lifeless  to  the  ground. 

The  third  bull  did  not  fall  into  the  hands  of  so 
skillful  an  enemy  as  the  last,  and  underwent  the 
most  horrible  mangling  before  his  death  was  efi"ect- 
ed.  The  intention  was  to  destroy  him  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  last ;  but  the  sword,  though  dbeply 
stricken,  did  not  penetrate  any  vital  part,  and  the 
poor  animal  walked  ab6ut  with  the  weapon  project- 
ing from  his  body.  One  of  the  horsemen  next  at- 
tempted to  destroy  him  with  a  spear,  but  this  was 
in   a  most  bungling  manner  thrust  through  his 


SLOW  MURDER.  97 

shoulders,  the  bright  point  appearing  through  the 
skin,  back  of  the  fore-leg,  and  he  still  continued 
moving  with  this  long  pole  rising  from  his  body. 
Spear  after  spear,  and  lance  after  lance,  were  strick- 
en into  him  without  fatal  effect,  until,  weakened  by 
wounds  and  loss  of  blood,  he  quietly  laid  himself 
down  against  the  enclosure  of  the  arena,  and  was 
deliberately  killed  by  one  of  the  short  trowel-shaped 
instruments  being  stuck  into  the  back  of  his  neck. 
The  fourth  bull  being  admitted,  the  chief  interest 
of  hunting  him  arose  from  the  admission  of  a  boy 
of  twelve  or  fourteen  years  of  age,  on  horseback, 
as  one  of  his  tormentors.  Sometimes  females,  as 
I  have  upon  another  occasion  witnessed,  enter  into 
the  contest,  and  win  the  plaudits  of  the  spectators, 
by  inflicting  the  death-wound  upon  their  four-foot- 
ed antagonist.  The  next,  from  his  wild  and  deter- 
mined ferocity,  contributed  much  to  the  sport  and 
excitement  of  the  day.  At  the  proper  period,  one 
of  the  horsemen  rode  up  to  dispatch  him,  but  the 
bull  dashed  boldly  upon  the  chest  of  the  horse,  a 
fine-looking  white  animal,  and  the  next  moment 
one  of  the  bull's  horns  was  seen  driven  almost  to 
its  root  into  the  breast  of  the  horse,  and  the  next, 
hotse  and  rider  rose  into  the  air,  and  fell  struggling 
upon  the  ground,  the  map  underneath  the  hoTse. 
9 


98  THE  FELON.  '     '* 

All  was  now  earnest  and  anxious  expectation. 
Both  man  and  horse  were  at  the  mercy  of  the  bull, 
who  drew 'back  for  a  renewed  attack;  at  this  mo- 
ment the  horse  struggling  to  rise,  lifted  himself  to 
his  forfe-feet,  the  man  was  jerked  out,  and  the  horse 
fell  back  dead.  As  if  aware  that  the  dead  beast 
was  beyond  the  reach  of  injury,  the  bull  turned 
and  walked  quietly  from  the  place.  His  magna- 
nimity availed  him  nothing,  for  his  own  dead  body 
was  flying  out  of  the  arena,  at  the  heels  of  the 
dashing  horses,  a  few  minutes  after  they  had  re- 
moved that  of  the  slaughtered  horse. 

The  next,  and  concluding  exhibition,  was  one  of 
thrilling  interest,  as  it  placed  human  life  in  greater 
risk  than  any  of  the  preceding.  A  man  was  placed 
directly  in  front  of  the  gate  at  which  the  bull  en- 
tered, resting  upon  one  foot  and  one  knee.  He 
had  no  liberty  to  move  from  this  position,  and  was 
armed  with  a  long  spear,  the  extremity  of  the  pole 
of  which  was  supported  against  the  ground,  while 
the  man  was  expected  to  direct  the  point  so  as  to 
impale  the  animal  as  he  rushed  into  the  arena.  It 
was  said  that  this  man  was  a  criminal,  condemned 
to  death,  and  who  had  this  chance  given  him  for 
life.  The  signal  rocket  whizzed  through  the  air, 
the  gates  flew  open,  and  on  came  tearing  the  bull,  his 


THE  ORACION.  99 

back  sparkling  with  ignited  fireworks.  With  cool- 
ness and  steadiness,  the  man  directed  the  point  of  the 
spear  towards  the  breast  of  the  animal,  but  in  vain, 
he  rushed  to  one  side  and  avoided  it;  the  next  mo- 
ment he  had  pinned  the  man  to  the  ground,  and 
the  cloud  of  dust  raised  by  their  struggles,  shut 
them  from  view.  All  in  the  arena  now  surrounded 
the  spot,  and  attracted  the  bull's  attention  by 
cries,  and  flaring  the  red  flags  in  his  face.  For4;u- 
nately  they  succeeded,  and  rescued  the  man  with 
no  other  injury  than  a  slight  bruising. 

The  day  was  now  sinking  into  twilight,  and  the 
sport  terminated  in  the  death  of  this  bull. 

As  the  departing  multitude  was  thronging  the 
Alamdda,  on  their  return  to  the  'city,  the  great  ca- 
thedral bell  tolled  the  vesper  prayer— that  solemn 
sound  which  for  a  moment  suspends  all  within  its 
hearing  still  and  motionless.  Upon  the  present 
occasion  the  effect  was  very  impressive.  The  hur- 
rying and  noisy  people- were  at  once  stilled  and  si- 
lent, as  if  turned  into  statues;  every  hat  was  reve- 
rently lifted,  and  man,  fresh  from  the  bloody  and 
merciless  sports  of  his  own  heart,  stood  for  a  brief 
moment,  in  confessed  humility,  before  the  God  of 
benevolence,  mercy,  and  justice. 

Again  the  bell  stf  uck,  God's  moment  had  ended, 
and  all  moved  on  in  mirthful  animation. 


100  PERUVIAN  REVOLUTIONS. 


CHAPTER    X. 

Peruvian  revolutions — ^Domingo  Elias — South  American  republics 
— Monarchy  and  republicanism — Sources  of  evil — The  boatswain 
and  the  president.  ,   '"      .  . 

Whilst  we  were  amid  all  the  excitement  of  the 
bull-bait  in  the  month  of  June,  the  magnates  p-nd 
politicians  of  Peru  were  absorbed  in  the  deeper  and 
more  important  excitement  of  consummating  a 
pre-arranged  political  revolution,  and  we  came  out 
of  the  arena  under  a  different  government  from 
that  under  which  we  had  entered  it. 

There  was  something  in  the  character  of  this 
revolution  which  may  make  it  worthy  the  attention 
of  those  who  take  any  interest  in  the  progress  of 
civil  liberty,  however  contemptibly  they  may  deem 
the  confused  record  of  "  South  American  disturb- 
ances." 

A  patriotic  Peruvian,  writing  for  the  Lima  paper, 
concludes  a  glowing  eulogium  upon  the  perpetual 
spring  of  its  climate  by  stating,  as  the  climax  of 
its  advantages,  "  Its  enabling  a  poor  man  like  him- 


PERUVIAN  REVOLUTIONS.  101 

self  to  keep  a  horse  all  the  year  round."  But, 
whilst  he  is  enjoying  himself  upon  this  horse,  he  is, 
although  for  many  years  unconnected  with  any 
party,  suddenly  arrested  and  thrdwn  into  prison  as 
a  political  conspirator.  Hence,  he  concludes  that 
"keeping  a  horse  all  the  year  round"  is  not  the 
greatest  advantage  a  citizen  can  enjoy. 

The  frequency  of  revolution  is  a  melancholy 
justification  of  this  unfortunate  citizen's  lamenta- 
tion. Within  ten  years  Peru  has  had  ten  chiefs  of 
her  government.  The  usual  mode  of  proceeding 
is,  for  some  general  of  a  petty  military  force,  upon 
any  pretext,  to  place  himself  in  opposition  to  the 
existing  chief.  If  this  latter  can  muster  sufficient 
force  to  march  against  the  rebel,  scarcely  is  he* clear 
of  the  gates,  before  the  next  man  in  influence  de- 
clares himself  the  chief  authority,  and  shuts  the 
gates  upon  both  belligerents. 

The  last  constitutionally  elected  President  was 
General  Orbegoso,  who,  being  expelled  from  his 
seat  ten  years  ago,  was  at  this  time  living  quietly 
on  his  farm,  while  usurper  has  followed  usurper  in 
the  administration.  In  the  course  of  these  changes. 
General  Vivanco  found  himself  recently  at  the 
head  of  the  government,  when  a  General  Castillo 
raised  the  standard  of  revolt,  upon  the  ground  that 
9* 


102  DOMINGO  ELI  AS. 

the  country  must  have  a  constitutional  president. 
He  proclaimed  that  he  did  not  wish  to  be  president 
himself,  that  he  did  not  care  who  was,  but  the  pre- 
sident must  be  properly  elected  and  not  self-ap- 
pointed. Vivanco  marched  out  to  chastise  thia 
rebellious  chief,  and  both  armies  encamped  in  the 
mountains  at  a  remote  distance  from  each  other. 

From  time  to  time  Vivanoo  drew  upon  the  cities 
and  provinces  which  acknowledged  his  authority 
for  men  and  money,  and  they  were  accordingly  sent 
by  those  left  in  charge.  Domingo  Elias^  the  Pre- 
fect of  Lima,  a  very  wealthy  citizen,  merchant,  and 
large  landed  proprietor,  jfilled  requisition  after  re- 
quisition for  money  and  men,  made  by  Vivanco, 
and  yet  no  conclusion  was  brought  to  the  war,  no 
action  between  the  parties  in  the  field,  and  no 
proper  head  of  the  government  in  the  capital. 

Things  having  continued  in  this  condition  for 
many  months,  in  June,  1844,  as  before  stated, 
Domingo  Elias  assembled  the  citizens  and  militia, 
enumerated  what  he^  had  done  to  bring  the  war  to 
a  conc\usion,  pictured  the  distracted  state  of  the 
country,  and  pronounced  himself  at  the  head  of 
the  nation  until  the  will  of  the  people  could  be 
known.  He  proclaimed  the  military  chiefs  as  ene- 
mies to  their  country  unless  they  disbanded  their 


DOMINGO  ELIAS*     .     '  103 

forces  and  returned  to  the  condition  of  peaceable 
citizens.  In  the  midst  of  these  stormy  scenes  arose 
another  speck  of  war.  Elias  relied  for  the  support 
of  his  measures  upon  the  citizens  of  Lima  and 
Callao,  and  also  upon  that  of  General  Echenique, 
commanding  fifteen  hundred  men  of  the  party  of 
Vivanco.  Echenique  received  certain  orders  from 
Elias,  but,  instead  of  executing  them,  he  com- 
menced a  march  upon  Lima.  The  citizens  of  Lima 
immediately  flew  to  arms,  and  those  of  Callao  sus- 
pended all  business  and  marched  up  to  the  defence 
of  the  capital.  So  great  was  the  enthusiasm  upon 
this  occasion,  that  many  foreigners  of  respectability, 
who  had  never  meddled  in  the  affairs  of  the  country, 
took  up  arms  in  defence  of  this  effort  to  establish 
civil  law. 

Discovering  this  state  of  feeling,  Echenique  sent 
in  word  that  he  was  not  coming  in  hostile  attitude, 
but  only  for  such  refreshments  and  necessaries  as 
were  required  by  his  forces,  and  he  expected  to  bo 
received  with  open  arms.  This  statement  being 
distrusted,  forces  were  sent  out  to  meet  him,  and 
he  retired  before  them  to  the  Cordilleras;  where- 
upon Lima  and  Callao  went  into  rejoicing — banners 
fluttered  from  the  house-tops,  triumphal  arches  were 
erected,  and  strips  of  gay-colored  muslin  were  fes- 


104  SOUTH  AMERICAN  REPUBLICS, 

tooned  across  the  streets.  This  revolution  resulted 
in  the  election  of  Castillo  as  President,  and  since 
then  Peru  has  been  in  a  quiet  political  state,  and 
manifesting  some  signs  of  prosperity. 

South  American  republics  have  become  proverbial 
for  anarchy  and  political  instability,  and,  in  the 
mouths  of  monarchists,  are  scofl&ng  arguments 
against  republicanism.  The  state  of  affairs  at 
vrhich  tpe  have  glanced  in  this  most  disorganized  of 
all  these  governments  is  truly  deplorable,  and  yet, 
in  its  worst  condition,  the  state  of  the  people  is 
infinitely  better  and  their  share  of  happiness  far 
greater  than  they  were  tinder  the  vice-regal  govern- 
ment. Now  the  political  disturbances  chiefly  affect 
the  quiet  and  prosperity  of  the  capital,  but  the 
mass  of  the  peasantry  is  undisturbed.  Then,  the 
imposing  grandeur  and  richness  of  the  court  and 
capital  were  nurtured  upon  the  blood  of  the  people. 
A  grinding  despotism  reached  the  most  remote 
points,  and  the  most  humble  individual  sacrificing 
every  relationship,  and  wearing  out  life  in  the  taxa- 
tions of  labor;  but  the  glitter  of  royalty  and  the 
brilliancy  of  aristocracy  turned  the  eye  from  the 
tears  and  sufferings  of  the  masses.  Republicanism 
has  shown  forth,  not  made,  the  defects  of  the  popu- 
lation, and  what  spectacle  has  lost  by  its  establish- 


MONARCHY  AND  REPUBLICANISM.  105 

nient  humanity  has  gained.  Let  it  be  borne  in 
mind  thart  a  very  few  years  have  elapsed  since  these 
countries  shook  off  the  domination  of  Europe,  and 
already  some  of  them  are  assuming  the  character 
of  steady  and  established  governments.  Chile  is 
and  has  long  been  in  a  quiet  and  flourishing  con- 
dition. 

Under  both  monarchical  and  republican  govern- 
ments, these  countries  have  been  subject  to  bad 
political  influences.  In  both  cases  we  may  say, 
with  the  poet,  •  . 

^       "What  avails  this  wondrous  waste  of  wealths         ' 
This  gay  profusion  of  luxurious  bliss? 
This  pomp  of  nature  ? 
Ah,  what  avail  their  fatal  treasures,  hid 
Deep  in  the  bowels  of  the  pitying  earth, 
Golconda's  gems  and  sad  Potosi's  mines  ? 
Kind,  equal  rule,  the  government  of  laws, 
And  all-protecting  freedom,  which  alone 
Sustains  the  name  and  dignity  of  man ; — 
These  pre  not  theirs." 

Unfortunately  there  are  many  causes  tending  to 
sink  these  people  below  the  "dignity  of  man." 
One  of  the  most  influential  is  the  marked  difference 
and  inequality  between  the  races.  The  Spaniard, 
accustomed  to  look  upon  the  mass  of  the  people, 
the  Indian  race,  as  living  only  for  his  use,  and  as 
the  creatures  of  his  dominion,  is  unwilling  to  regard 


106  EVIL  influences; 

it  in  any  other  relation.  The  Indiari,  accustomed 
to  regard  the  Spaniard  as  his  tyrant  and  oppressor, 
refuses  to  assimilate  with  him,  and,  in  the  midst  of 
chapels  and  priests,  delights  to  remember  the  days 
of  his  Incas,  and  the  Sun-worship  of  his  fathers. 

In  the  abolition  of  privileges  resulting  from  re- 
publican institutions,  the  Spaniard  can  only  main- 
tain his  aspiring  domination  by  military  organiza-- 
tion,;  and  the  passive  character  of  the  Indian, 
indifferent  to  the  interests  of  the  military  chiefs, 
and  having  no  attachment  to  political  principles, 
affords  a  suitable  material  for  the  establishmei^  of 
numerous  and  petty  bands.  Hence,  the  glitter  of 
a  uniform,  a  gilded  curse  to  any  country,  is  the 
leading  idea  of  South  American  politics.  The  great 
deficiency  of  moral  sense,  may  be  named  as  an- 
other prominent  obstacle  to  the  interests  of  self- 
government. 

The  self-education  of  republicanism  is  that  which 
best  counteracts  these  evil  influences,  and  it  is  doing 
its  work  in  the  regeneration  of  these  people ;  or, 
rather,  it  is  creating  a  people  where,  politically 
speaking,  there  was  none.  Step  by  step  the  prin- 
ciples of  self-government  are  advancing.  Two 
words  are  becoming  common  in  the  mouths  of  all, 
and  which  are  representatives  of  important  ideas 


•r 


EVIL  INFLUENCES.  107 

and  trains  of  thought,  "  civicos,"  and  "  militares" 
— cftizens  and  soldiers,  and  they  are  seldom  used 
without  a  merited  malediction  on  the  latter. 

The  history  of  the  last  disturbances,  which  has 
been  given  in  this  chapter,  affords  an  important 
illustration  of  the  progress  of  ideas.  The  cause 
of  revolt,  even  supposing  it  to  have  been  a  pre^ 
tended  one,  put  forth  by  Castillo,  is  an  evidence  of 
political  advancement;  and  a  still  greater  evidence 
of  it  is  found  in  the  fact,  that  not  a  military  ad- 
venturer, but  a  plain  merchant,  with  a  large  personal 
stake  in  the  country,  placed  himself  at  the  head  of 
civil  rights,  and  sustained  them.  This  contest  was, 
in  truth,  between  the  ciyjl  and  military  spirit, 
whereas  all  previous  quarrels  have  been  between 
rival  military  chiefs.  The  more  the  past  and  pre- 
sent condition  of  these  countries  is  investigated, 
the  more  room  have  we  to  admire  and  respect  the 
success  of  republicanism  in  elevating  the  dignity 
of  m^n;  and  we  see  this  spirit,  in  its  most  disordered 
garb,  more  worthy  of  veneration  than  monarchy, 
in  all  the  decoration  and  gaudy  pomp  which  at- 
tempts in  vain  to  hide  its  unnatural  deformity. 

Shortly  after  the  installation  of  Castillo  as  Pre- 
sident of  the  republic,  I  met,  on  the  mole  at  Callao, 
the  boatswain  of  the  flag-ship  of  the  United  States 


108  THE  BOATSWAIN  AND  THE  PRESIDENT. 

squadron,  arrayed  in  his  best  shore  toggery,  and 
armed  with  an  enormous  hickory  cane,  mounted 
and  varnished.  Upon  inquiring  his  destination,' 
the  old  man  told  me  he  was  going  to  Lima,  to  make 
.*«^this  club"  a  present  to  "Cast-steel-you,"  as  he 
called  the  President.  He  proceeded  to  the  palace, 
requested  an  interview,  and  presented  the  cane; 
telling  the  President  it  was  cut  in  the  United  States, 
and  he  hoped  he  would  use  it  to  knock  the  first 
fellow  on  the  head  who  attempted  to  get  up  a  revo- 
lution. 


TEMPLE  OF  THE  SUN.  109 


CHAPTER    XI. 

Temple  of  the  Sun — Bad  fit  out — Chorillos — The  desert — A  coun- 
tryman— The  temple — Valley  of  Lurin — Don  Jorge — Hacienda 
— Lodging-room.  •     .     '      "* 

About  twenty  miles  from  Lima,  on  the  sea-shore, 
to  the  south,  are  the  celebrated  ruins  of  the 
"Temple  of  the  Sun,"  the  "Temple  of  Pacha- 
camac,"  the  life-giving  deity.  Short  as  was  the 
distance,  and  great  as  was  the  interest,  of  these 
ruins,  a  visit  to  them  was  a  matter  of  some  dif- 
ficulty. ' 

The  United  States  and  British  squadrons,  al- 
though holding  the  most  agreeable  intercourse  with 
each  other,  were  very  apprehensive  that  each  ar- 
rival might  bring  intelligence  placing  them  in 
hostile  relation;  and,  therefore,  there  was  some 
risk  in  an  officer  being  absent  from  the  squadron 
for  any  distance;  and  twenty  miles  in  Peru,  even 
though  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  capital,  are  very 
different  from  twenty  miles  in  a  country  of  turn- 
pikes, railroads,  and  steamboats.  To  go  by  sea  in 
10 


110  BAT?  FIT  OUT. 

a  small  boat,  was  to  run  the  risk  of  being  swamped 
and  drowned  in  the  surf  that  rolled  upon  the  beach 
"where  we  would  land;  and  to  go  upon  terra  firma, 
it  became  necessary  to  make  previous  arrangements 
for  suitable  horses — not  to  be  readily  procured — a 
guide,  and  to  take  some  precautions  against  the 
possibility  of  meeting  banditti. 

Having,  as  we  supposed,  made  all  the  necessary 
arrangements,  one  evening  a  party  of  us  proceeded 
to  the  shore,  to  take  our  departure  from  Callao 
early  the  following  morning;  but  diflSculties  and 
disappointments  met  us  at  the  beginning;  not  only 
was  nothing  ready,  but  we  found  that  neither  horses 
nor  guide  could  be  furnished  us  in  Callao.  Our 
costume  had  been  arranged  suitably  to  our  country 
excursion,  and  each  one  of  the  party  carried  a 
blanket,  as  a  provision  for  spending  the  night  amid 
the  graves  of  a  past  race,  and  the  mouldering  altars 
of  its  dethroned  deities:  we  were  hardly  in  condition 
for  a  visit  to  the  "City  of  Kings,"  but  there  was 
no  other  course,  if  we  would  prosecute  our  purpose, 
and  therefore  we  took  the  stage  for  Lima.  Here 
we  were  cautioned  against  the  rascality  of  livery- 
stable  keepers,  in  general;  but,  as  a  mark  of  espe- 
cial grace  to  our  respectable  party,  yre  were  com- 
mended to  a  small,  sharp-featured,  keen-eyed,  red- 


SKELETON  HORSES.  Ill 

whiskered,  never-to-be-forgotten,  Italian-;  and  with 
this  most  honest  individual  we  contracted  for  a  suit- 
able number  of  the  best  horses  to  be  hired  in  Lima, 
and  to  be  furnished  at  an  early  hour  on  the  follow- 
ing morning.  "John,"  a  good-natured  Dane,  the 
bar-keeper  of  the  hotel  at  which  we  most  did  con- 
gregate, volunteered  as  guide.  At  the  appointed 
hour  the  Italian  and  his  horses  were  in  attendance; 
but  such  animals;  they  offered  the  most  barefaced 
and  ridiculous  insult  to  any  man  who  had  ever  seen 
a  horse;  the  mere  tottering  frames  of  diminutive 
animals,  whose-  angles  and  hollows  were  scarce 
concealed  by  the  large  cushion  pillions  of  their 
Peruvian  saddles.  In  vain  we  charged  his  rascality 
upon  him,  and  demanded  horses  that  would  bear 
us  through  the  journey.  He  insisted  upon  it 
these  were  fully  capable,  and  he  would  let  us  have 
none  other.  Two  of  the  wretched  creatures  being 
a- shade  better  than  the  remainder,  we  determined 
to  take  these  and  look  elsewhere  for  others;  but, 
gathering  the  bridles  of  all  in  his  hand,  he  com- 
menced leading  them  from  the  courtyard,  saying 
we  should  take  "all,  or  none."  Time  was  flying; 
he  knew  our  situation,  and  compelled  us  tb  his 
terms.  As  each  person  mounted  his  beast,  the 
Italian  came  up  and  received  the  hire;  feeling,  no 


112  CHORILLOS.     . 

doubt,  that  he  was  amply  compensated,  even  though 
he  had  now  looked  the  last  upon  his  quadruped 
anatomies.  .  _ 

At  eight  o'clock  our  cavalcade  had  passed  the 
gates  of  Lima.  Our  way  was  by  the  road  to  the 
fishing  village  of  Chorillos,  and  for  the  first  hour 
or  two  was  enlivened  by  the  numbers  of  cheerful, 
happy  looking,  and  respectfully  polite  Indians,  of 
both  sexes,  and  all  ages,  mounted  on  donkeys  and 
carrying  marketing  to  the  city.  Among  them  were 
many  fishwomen  from  Chorillos,  seated  between 
their  panniers  of  fine  sea  fish.  ^  .,, 

At  Chorillos  we  stopped  an  hour  to  rest  our 
horses,  already  wearied  by  two  hours  slow  ride;  and 
here  we  made  our  breakfast  upon  bread,  cheese,  and 
"chicha,"  the  only  article  the  village  could  fur- 
nish. 

Chorillos  is  the  fashionable  bathing  resort  in  the 
summer  season ;  and  is  the  theatre  of  all  the  ex- 
cesses of  Limanian  dissipation.  At  that  season  its 
gambling-tables  are  loaded  with  piles  of  gold,  and, 
night  and  day,  fortunes  change  owners  by  the  roll 
of  the  dice.  The  better  class  of  houses  belong  to 
citizens  of  Lim^,  and  a,t  the  time  of  our  visit  were 
deserted  and  closed.  Soon  after  leaving  Chorillos 
we  came  to  a  large  hacienda,  or  sugar  estate;  its 


THE  DESERT.  113 

many  buildings,  negro  houses,  and  chapel  made? 
it  quite  a  village.  Great  numbers  of  negro  slaves, 
on  donkeys,  were  bringing  the  green  cane  from  the 
distant  fields  to  the  mill;  this  being  worked  by 
water,  conveyed  through  an  aqueduct,  conducted 
over  arches.  The  negroes  were  spread  in  groups 
along  the  road  for  some  considerable  distance ;  and 
as,  in  my  inspection  of  them,  I  had  lingered  and 
fallen  some  distance  behind  my  party,  "John,"  sig- 
naling to  me  to  come  up,  cautioned  me  against 
separating  myself,  as  they  were  the  people  who 
committed  outrages  upon  traveler's,  and  he  did  not 
think  it  safe  for  any  of  us  to  be  caught  alone  among 
them.  This  estate  was  the  last  habitable  spot  for 
the  remainder  of  our  journey,  until  reaching  the 
valley  of  Lurin.  A  ihile  or  two  of  thin,  barren 
soil,  brought^  us  to  a  vast  desert  of  yellow  sand, 
rising  into  long,  sloping  hills,  like  the  swells  of  the 
ocean.  Nothing  could  be  seen  before  us,  or  on  our 
right,  but  their  desolate  line  cutting  against  the 
sky,  and  on  our  left  they  swept  away  to  a  distant 
chain  of  dark  mountains.  At  this  unpropitious 
point  our  miserable  horses,  either  appalled  by  the 
prospect  before  them,  or  acquainted  with  its  d^pi- 
culties  by  past  experience,  refused  to  go  further  aa 
beasts  of  burden.  We  were  compelled  to  dismount; 
10* 


*imc 


114  A  COUNTRYMAN. 

and  to  add  to  the  labor  of  crossing  this  desert  of 
nine  miles,  on  foot,  that  of  leading  and  driving 
our  unfortunate  horses.  Our  toiling  travel  was 
made  in  the  following  order:  Each  person  leading 
his  horse,  one  behind  another,  and  urging  on,  by 
.blows  and  words,  that  in  advance.  The  riders  on 
the  best  horses,  which  still  held  out,  bringing  up 
the  rear.  A  very  few  miles  of  this  work,  so 
fatigued  and  disgusted  us,  that  a  proposition  to 
shoot  the  horses,  as  an  act  of  humanity  to  them, 
and  of  punishment  to  their  owner,  would  have  been 
carried  into  execution,  but  for  the  solicitations  of 
our  good-natured  Dane.  He  represented  to  us  that 
we  would  be  absent  from  Lima,  and  that  he  would 
be  left  to  bear  all  the  Italian's  indignation..  Cross- 
ing one  sand-ridge  after  another  in  this  laborious 
manner,  the  afternoon  was  much  advanced  before 
the  beautiful  valley  of  Lurin  opened  to  our  view ; 
and,  just  before  the  desert  terminated  in  the  green 
valley,  the  ruins  of  Pachacamac  piled  themselves 
up  before  us. 

Previous  to  our  departure  from  Lima,  we  had 
been  told  that  upon  our  arrival  at  Lurin  every  care 
wc|^d  be  taken  of  tis,  and  every  provision  made 
for  our  comfort,  by  Don  Jorge.  All  that  we  knew 
of  Don  Jorge  was,  that  he  was  a  countryman  of 


-  THE  TEMPLE.  115 

ours,  an  adventurous  Yankee;  one  of  those  uni- 
formly and  universally  clever  fellows,  always  will- 
ing to  do  anything  for  you,  and  from  whom,  there- 
fore, everything  was  expected.  He  held  the  rela- 
tion of  brother-in-law  to  Echinique,  one  of  the 
principal  men  and  leading  politicians  of  Peru ;  and 
the  offices  of  chief  blacksmith,  machinist,  and  engi- 
neer to  the  immense  sugar  estate  of  his  brother-in- 
law.  Being  so  near  the  point  of  our  destination, 
John,  who  was  mounted  on  the  best  horse  of  the 
party,  rode  ahead  to  notify  Don  Jorge  of  the  ap- 
proach of  his  unbidden  guests,  while  we  continued 
our  way  more  slowly.  The  ruins  of  the  ancient 
town  lay  spread  out  before  us  on  the  sand  plain, 
while  those  of  the  temple  rose  to  the  height,  it  is 
said,  of  six  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.* 
This  elevation  was  partly  natural  and  partly  arti- 
ficial. The  remains  of  the  walls  and  buildings 
being  on  three  terraces  rising  one  above  another. 

Our  route  passed  through  the  remains  of  an  ex- 
tensive wall  which  crossed  the  desert  plain,  about 
half  a  mile  from  the  ruins  of  the  town  and  temple. 
This  wall  was  built  of  adobes,  and  was  eight  or  ten 

*  Don  Mariano  Edward  de  Rivero.  The  Exploring  squadron 
reports  the  height  of  the  temijie  to  be  330  feet. 


116  VALLEY  OF  LURIN. 

feet  high,  by  three  or  four  in  thickness.  Having 
crossed  the  intervening  space,  and  rounded  a  cor- 
ner of  the  ruins  on  the  plain,  we  found  ourselves 
on  the  elevated  bank  of  a  mountain  stream,  which 
was  the  boundary  between  the  sandy  waste  over 
which  we  had  crossed,  and  the  fertile  valley  we 
were  about. to  enter.  At  this  point  we  paused,  to 
look  upon  the  magnificent  scene  now  opened  to  our 
view.  Commencing  at  the  sea  on  our  right,  and 
winding  away  into  the  recesses  of  the  mountain  on 
our  left,  were  the  princly  haciendas  of  the  valley 
of  Lurin,  covered  by  orange-groves  and  cane-fields. 
The  color  of  the  landscape  varied  from  the  deep 
green  of  the  groves  to  the  lighter  hues  of  the 
fields.  The  mountain  boundaries  now  retreating  into 
dark  recesses,  and  then  projecting  gigantic  and 
fantastic  points,  to  catch  all  the  brilliancy  of  the 
sun.-  The  spires  of  the  village  churches — those  of 
Pachacamac  and  Lurin  rose  above  the  wide-spread 
foliage — and  the  sea,  flinging  a  snowy  wreath  of 
surf  along .  the  mouth  of  the  valley,  then  swept 
away  in  a  calm,  broad,  blue  expanse,  to  the  distant 
circle  of  the  horizon. 

A  heavy  and  handsome  stone  bridge  had  once 
crossed  this  stream,  but  an  earthquake  had  tumbled 
its  arch  into  the  ravine  below,  and  left  only  its  jag- 


VALLEY  OF  LURIN.  117 

ged  abutments  on  the  banks.  It  remained  thus,  a 
monument  of  the  monarchy  which  had  given  it  ex- 
istence, and  an  emblem  of  the  ruin  into  which  that 
monarchy  had  been  shaken  by  political  convulsion. 
We  had  thus  at  'Once  within  view  the  mementos  of 
past  successive  institutions;  those  of  a  splendid 
pagaoism,  and  those  of  the  equally  splendid  Euro- 
pean monarchical  pomp,  to  which  it  had  given  place. 
Fording  the  stream  a  little  below  the  bridge,  we 
entered,  upon  the  opposite  bank,  a  small  Indian 
settlement  consisting  of  three  or  four  houses,  and 
which  seemed  to  be  a  resting-place  for  the  country 
people  on  their  way  to  the  capital,  many  of  whom 
with  their  donkeys  were  lying  about  the  ground. 
-  Quantities  of  fine  oranges,  and  country-made 
sweetmeats,  were  displayed  for  sale  in  front  of  the 
houses,  and  tempted  us  to  make  a  sufficient  stop 
here  to  refresh  ourselves  with  the  grateful  fruit. 
One  of  the  Indian  residents  promised  to  have  an 
eye  to  our  jaded  horses,  if  we  turned  them  loose, 
until  some  one  could  oome  and  take  charge  of  them. 
Freed  from  our  incumbrances,  we  had  proceed- 
ed but  a  little  way  along  a  beautiful  road,  bor- 
dered by  luxuriant  hedges,  when  we  met  John  re- 
turning to  us  in  company  with  a  tall,  gaunt,  sandy- 
complexioncd  man,  who  was  introduced  to  us  as 


118  DON  JORGE. 

Don  Jorge,  our  expected  friend.  He  gave  us  a 
welcome,  which,  if  somewhat  destitute  of  Spanish 
courtesy  and  ceremonial,  was  agreeable  from  its 
honest  earnestness,  and,  turning  with  us,  he  conduct- 
ed us,  at  the  distance  of  about  a  mile  from  where 
we  met,  to  the  hacienda  of  his  residence. 

We  arrived  at  about  four  o'clock,  and  there  be- 
ing an  hour  before  dinner,  gave  us  an  opportunity 
of  making  a  toilet,  and  taking  a  general  view  of 
(the  premises.  The  dwelling  was  a  large,  two  story 
barn  of  a  house,  surrounded  above  and  below  with 
broad  piazzas.  The  lower  one  was  used  as  a  lum- 
ber shed  and  store-house,  and  was  the  resort  of  the 
quadrupeds  about  the  place,  as  well  as  of  the  hu- 
man beings  inhabiting  the  house.  The  quarters 
assigned  us,  were  those  of  Don  Jorge  himself ;  on 
the  lower  floor.  At  one  end  of  the  dwelling  was 
the  chapel,  quite  a  church  in  size.  Every  hacienda 
has  its  religious  edifice ;  a  priest  going  the  rounds, 
and  performing  service  on  Sundays  and  feast  days. 
Th6  machinery  of  the  place  was  worked  by  a  steam 
engine,  which  was  a  great  source  of  power  and  in- 
fluence to  Don  Jorge,  who  alone  understood  its 
mystical  arrangements.  At  the  time  of  our  visit, 
the  estate  was  making  large  quantities  of  "  chan- 
cdca,"or  coarse  brown  sugar,  or  candy,  moulded  into 


THE  HOUSEHOLD.  119 

round,  flat  cakes,  resembling  those  made  of  maple 
sugar  bj  the  Indians  of  our  country.  This  inanufac- 
ture  was  more  profitable  than  that  of  white  sugar, 
which  required  more  expensive  processes.  Five  hun- 
dred negroes  were  worked  upon  this  estate.  Each 
one  has  a  certain  amount  of  work  assigned  as  a  daily 
task,  and  those  who  are  energetic  and  industrious, 
find  time  to  labor  some  on  their  own  account.  In 
this  way  a  few  will  sometimes  accumulate  several 
hundred  dollars;  only,  however,  to  spend  it  all 
again,  in  the  appliance^  and  paraphernalia  of  reli- 
gious celebrations. 

At  five  o'clock,  a  large  bell  suspended  outside  of 
the  house  announced  dinner,  the  table  being  set  in 
the  upper  piazza ;  and  here  we,  for  the  first  time, 
met  all  the  family ;  presenting  a  curious  and  inter- 
esting social  amalgamation.  The  table  was  a  long, 
heavy,  rough  affair,  and  the  custom  which  prevail- 
ed in  Europe,  in  the  days  of  feudality,  that  of  the 
lord  taking  his  place  at  the  head  of  the  table,  and 
the  subordinates  of  his  household,  descending  ac- 
cording to  rank,  towards  the  foot,  was  the  usage 
of  this  board.  First  in  honor  and  order,  was  the 
mother  of  Echinique,  a  pleasant,  cheerful  old  lady ; 
then  the  wife  of  Don  Jorge,  a  fine-looking  woman 
with  brilliant  black  eyes.     Don  Pedro,  a  brother 


120        '.■  THE  HOUSEHOLD. 

of  the  master  of  the  estate,  and  Don  Jorge  were 
the  only  males  of  the  family  proper,  present ;  but 
lower  down  the  table,  were  several  rough-looking 
men,  who  sat  at  dinner  with  their  ponchos  on,  and 
made  their  meal  in  silence.  These  were  the  over- 
seers and  managers  of  different  parts  of  the  estate, 
and  its  machinery. 

The  dinner  presented  the  extravagant  profusion 
which  is  displayed  upon  the  tables  of  all  in  this 
country  who  can  afford  it.  Commencing  with  soup, 
a  variety  of  compound  dishes  followed,  and  a  large 
baked  fish  finished  the  courses.  For  the  first  time, 
I  saw  at  this  table  a  dish,  of  which  I  had  often 
heard  in  Peru — raw  fresh  fish.  We  were  induced 
to  taste  it,  and  some  of  our  party  professed  to  like 
it ;  to  me  it  was  disagreeable,  but  by  no  means  so 
disgusting  as  I  fancied  it  would  be. 

As  an  evidence  of  the  thriftless  economy  of  these 
hacien.das,  all  the  poultry  is  purchased  as  required 
for  the  table,  and  from  seventy-five  cents  to  a  dol- 
lar paid  for  a  single  chicken.  So  little  knowledge 
of  butter  have  the  residents,  that  we  were  urged 
to  taste,  as  a  great  rarity,  some  which  had  the 
appearance  of  a  mixture  of  soot  and  tallow;  the 
flavor  corresponded  with  its  appearance. 

Dinner  being  finished,  the  whole  party,  including 


SLEEPING  APARTMENTS.  '  121 

« 

the  ladies,  lit  cigars,  and  continued  for  some  time 
at  the  table  smoking.  A  large  room  on  the  lower 
floor,  which  seemed  to  be  used  both  as  a  sleeping 
apartment  and  a  store-room  for  grain  and  vege- 
tables, was  assigned  us  as  our  lodging-place  for  the 
night;  here  a  comfortable  bed  was  provided  for 
each  one  of  our  party,  and  offered  us  an  inviting 
refuge  from  the  labors  of  the  day. 

The  early  hours  of  the  following  morning  were" 
employed  in  exploring  the  surrounding  country, 
and  a  visit  to  the  neat  neighboring  village  of  Lurin. 
Upon  our  return  to  the  hacienda,  we  visited  the 
workshops  of  the  place,  and  among  them  the  forge 
of  Don  Jorge,  in  which  he  passed  most  of  his  time 
making  or  repairing  firearms.  At  the  present  time 
he  is  engaged  in  constructing,  by  his  personal  labor, 
iron  bedsteads  for  sale. 


11 


122  RUINS  OF  THE  TEMPLE. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

Ruins-  of  the  Temple — Tombs  and  relks — Products  of  art — •' 
Mummy  coverings — Mystical  bags — Early  history  of  the  Temple 
— Redress  our  wrongs. 

At  ten  o'clock  the  great  bell  summoned  us  to 
breakfast,  and  here  we  met,  for  the  first  time,  "  la 
Senora  Echinique,"  the  lady  of  the  proprietor,  a 
very  pretty  woman,  neice  to  General  Tristan,  of 
Lima.  After  breakfast  we  started  for  a  more 
minute  examination  of  the  ruins.  Tho  buildings 
had  all  been  constructed  of  "adobes,"  and  the  re- 
mains of  the  town  were  very  extensive^  We  rode 
through  one  long  street  of  singular  appearance. 
It  was  about  twenty  feet  wide,  and,  though  much 
choked  by  the  "adobes"  which  had  fallen  from  the 
walls,  in  its  whole  length  on  both  sides,  a  consider- 
able elevation  of  the  walls  still  remained,  but  no- 
where was  there  any  opening  of  door  or  window 
upon  this  lane.  The  interior  of  the  ruins  presented 
the  remains  of  numerous  apartments,  leading  one 
into  another,  through  a  long  succession,  some  of 


RUINS  OF  THE  TEMPLE.  123 

them  very  small,  not  larger  than  closets,  and  others 
quite  extensive  and  commodious.  They  were 
smoothly  plastered  with  clay,  and  many  of  them 
painted  red,  or  yellow.  In  every  room,  about  five 
feet  from  the  floor,  was  a  niche  about  eighteen 
inches  square,  and  in  the  larger  rooms  were  a  num- 
ber of  these  niches.  From  these  lower  ruins  we 
ascended  to  the  highest  elevation  of  those  nearer 
to  the  sea — the  remains  of  the  temple  itself. 
Ascending  from  terrace  to  terrace,  utitil  the  summit 
was  reached,  we  found  this  to  be  perfectly  level, 
and  containing  a  pit  about  twelve  feet  square,  built 
of  stone,  split,  with  smooth  faces.  From  this  point 
a  fine  view  was  commanded  of  the  mountains,  val- 
ley, villages,  sea,  and  neighboring  isles. 

Much  curiosity  was  felt  to  explore  the  tombs 
of  the  burial-place  of  this  aboriginal  Westminster 
Abbey,  as  some  represent  it  to  have  been,  asserting 
that  here  only  the  priests,  nobles,  and  great  of  the 
land  were  interred.  The  day  was  so  far  consumed 
by  our  visit  and  wandering  amid  the  ruins,  that  we 
left  the  tombs  for  the^  following  morning. 

It  having  been  the  custom  to  bury  gold  ornaments 
with  the  bodies,  the  graves  had  been  opened  in 
search  of  this  metal.  The  places  of  interment 
were  vaults,  built  of  "adobes,"  and  roofed  by  sticks 


124  TOMBS  AND  RELICS. ' 

laid  across  and  covered  with  matting.  The  mode 
used  to  discover  these  vaults,  was  to  sound  the  loose 
sandy  soil  covering  them  with  a  long  rod,  or  pointed 
staJGF.  Those  who  had  disinterred  the  bodies  for 
the  gold  found  with  them,  had  left  everything  else 
appertaining  to  the  corpse,  and  consequently  we 
had  an  opportunity  of  picking  up  on  the  surface  a 
great  number  of  curious  relics.  Myriads  of  skulls 
and  other  human  bones  whitened  the  ground. 
Many  of  the  skulls  were  still  covered  with  dry  in- 
tegument and  the  hair,  this  being  of  a  rusty  brown 
color.  Mats,  sacks,  netting,  pieces  of  cloth,  of 
cotton,  or  wool,  and  fragments  of  earthen  vessels, 
were  scattered  about  in  the  greatest  abundance. 
Being  provided  with  spades  for  the  purpose,  we  dug 
among  the  earth  and  remains  about  us,  occasionally 
re-opening  some  previously  explored  tomb. 

The  net-work,  which  was  very  abundant,  was 
made  of  a  fine,  even,  well-spun  twine.  We  found, 
at  almost  every  grave,  a  quantity  of  white  cotton 
cloth,  in  a  good  state  of  preservation,  and  of  a 
texture  somewhat  finer  than  the  material  we  call 
crash,  though  resembling  it  much  in  appearance. 
Another  abundant  texture  was  an  6pen  material  of 
brown  thread,  resembling  coarse  lace.  Of  dyed 
and  embroidered  materials,  we  picked  up  many  frag- 


PRODUCTS  OF  ART.  1 25 

ments,  displaying  much  taste  and  artistical  skill,  of 
which  some  judgment  may  be  formed  by  the  follow- 
ing description  of  such  pieces  as  were  carefully 
washed  and  examined. 

1st.  Some  fragments  of  a  fine  cotton  cloth,  ar- 
ranged in  longitudinal  brown  and  white  bands,  or 
stripes;  first,  alternately,  a  broad  stripe  of  each 
color  separately,  then  a  stripe  of  the  same  width, 
but  made  up  of  a  series  of  narrow  lines  of  brown 
and  white,  then  an  open  thread-work,  and  the  above- 
described  arrangement  commencing  again. 

2d.  A  piece  of  white  cotton,  with  a  border  of 
regular  and  handsome  figures  embroidered  in  a  fine 
brown  wool. 

3d.  A  fine  texture,  made  up  of  the  following 
colors:  first,  a  broad  white  band;  then  one  half  an 
inch  wide,  composed  of  two  brown  with  a  central 
stripe  of  bright  blue*;  next,  a  bright-red  stripe,  an 
inch  wide,  witTi  blue  diamonds  running  through  its 
centre ;  and  this  followed  by  another  of  the  same 
width,  composed  of  fine  transverse  lines  of  red  and 
blue,  having  the  corded  appearance  of  a  Venetian 
carpet. 

4th.  The  most  elaborately  worked  article  we 
found,  was  an  oblong  canvas  sack,  about  five  feet 
by  two;  the  sides  and  ends  rising  perpendicularly 
11* 


126  ,  PRODUCTS  OF  ART. 

from  the  bottom,  and  about  one  foot  wide.  These 
side  and  end  pieces  were  covered  with  crimson  em- 
broiderj,  of  diagonal  lines,  crossing  each  other  so 
as  to  leave  diamond-shaped  interspaces  of  the  same 
color.  The  lines  were  formed  by  a  slight  elevation 
of,  or  a  direction  given  the  thread  diflferent  from 
that  of  the  interspaces.  This  broad  crimson  sur- 
face was  bordered  by  a  brown  band,  lined  into  dia- 
mond-shaped divisions  by  a  white  thread;  below  this 
a  white  stripe  of  half  an  inch  width,  and  outside 
of  this  two  inches  of  brown  and  red  mosaic  squares, 
with  a  diamond  of  fine  white  lines  in  the  centre  of 
each.  ' •  "     - 

5th.  The  end  of  a  belt,  two  inches  *wide ;  from 
each  corner  depended  a  small  ball  and  tassel.  This 
fragment  just  contained  a  butterfly  with  expanded 
wings,  the  ground  being  crimson,  and  the  figure  of 
white,  red,  brown,  and  blue,  arranged  in  close  imita- 
tion of  nature. 

So  far  as  we  could  judge,  from  the  circumstances 
under  which  these  materials  were  found,  we  inferred 
the  following  to  be  the  manner  in  which  they  were 
used  about  the  body:  first,  the  corpse,  placed  in  a 
sitting  posture,  with  the  legs  crossed,  the  elbows 
resting  on  the  knees,  and  the  hands  supporting  the 
chin,  was  enveloped  in  raw  cotton  batting;  this  was 


MUMMY  COVERINGS.  127 

Covered  by  the  brown  lace-like  net-work,  and  out- 
side of  this  came  the  white  cotton  cloth;  such  were 
the  envelops  about  the  mummy  of  a  child,  which 
we  disinterred  entire.  The  colored  and  embroidered 
cloths  were,  perhaps,  the  outer  coverings  of  per- 
sons of  high  rank  and  position.  Thus  encased, 
the  body  was  placed  in  a  sack  of  wide  meshes, 
made  of  rushes ;  these  sacks  were  double,  one  in- 
side the  other,  but  both  united  at  the  mouth  by  a 
single  band,  or  collar;  a  small  mat,  folded  over  the 
mouth  of  the  sack,  completed  this  costume  for  the 
grave,  and  the  dead  Indian  was  ready  to  be  packed 
into  his  portion  of  the  vault. 

Among  the  articles  found  abundantly,  were 
spindles  for  wrapping  cotton  thread,  many  of  them 
being  covered  with  the  thread,  very  neatly  wrapped. 
These  little  implements  were  made  by  fixing  a  sharp- 
pointed  polished  stick,  six  inches  long,  into  a  plug 
at  each  end  of  a  small  reed,  the  reed  being  about 
four  inches  long,  and  neatly  ornamented  with 
chased  figures.  A  ball  of  cotton  thread,  very  much 
like  those  of  our  candle-wick,  was  picked  up  with 
a  bundle  of  these  spindles. 

Numbers  of  small  bags,  of  varying  size,  shape, 
and  texture,  were  found.  Among  those  of  sufllicicnt 
preservation  to  be  collected,  were:  one,  about  the 


128  MYSTICAL  BAGS. 

size  of  the  hand,  the  upper  half  being  white  and 
the  lower  red ;  another,  twelve  inches  by  eight,  has 
brown  and  yellow  stripes  running  perpendicularly, 
alternately  broad  and  narrow.  The  string  or  band 
by  which  it  is  suspended,  wove  in  mosaic,  of  the 
same  colors ;  the  materials  of  its  texture  are  cotton 
and  hair,  or  wool.  From  the  number  we  found,  of 
the  following  description,  it  must  have  been  a  pre- 
vailing fashion,  custom,  or  the  prescribed  uniform 
of  some  officials,  perhaps  that  of  the  priests  of 
the  temple,  or  the  virgins  of  the  sun.  It  is  of 
white  cotton,  the  bag  being  ten  inches  across,  by 
five  deep,  and  having  a  thick  fringe  of  loose  cOtton 
cord  eleven  inches  long  depending  from  its  lower 
part.  The  string  by  which  it  was  supported,  if 
thrown  over  the  neck,  brings  the  top  of  the  bag  to 
the  lower  part  of  the  chest. 

These  bags  were  generally  shut  sacks,  having 
the  mouth  sewed  up.  They  inclosed  various  small 
articles:  black  pebbles,  parcels  of  hair,  bright  co- 
lored feathers.  All  of  them  contained  the  bones 
and  hair  of  a  diminutive  animal.  From  one  we 
took  a  small  gourd  of  a  black  -pigment  resembling 
lampblack,  and  a  golden  needle  mounted  on  the 
end  of  a  stick,  and  inclosed  in  a  very  neat  case, 
made  of  fine  sticks  closely  woven'  together  with 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  THE  TEMPLE.  129 

thread.  Two  shirts  were  found,  one  made  of  cotton 
cloth,  dyed  yellow,  the  other  of  a  black  hair.  They 
were  without  collar  or  sleeves,  having  only  openings 
for  the  head  and  arms. 

A  pamphlet,  by  Don  Edwardo  Mariano  Rivero, 
upon  the  "Antiquities  of  Peru,"  Contains  the  fol- 
lowing observations  upon  the  Temple  of  Pacha- 
camac. 

"The  celebrated  Temple  of  Pacbacamac,  or,  of 
him  who  animates  and  gives  being  to  the  universe, 
existed  under  another  name  previous  to  the  coming 
of  the  Inca  Pachacutec,  and  in  it  were  sacrificed 
men  and  animals ;  being  adorned  with  many  idols 
in  splendid  figures,  until  the  Inca  commanded  that 
Pachacamac  should  be  worshiped  in  it,  destroying  its 
gods,  and  that  it  should  only  be  consulted  in  royal 
and  lordly  affairs,  reserving  for  common  and  ple- 
beian matters  the  idol  of  the  Rimac.  In  fact,  the 
commander  Capac-Ypanqui,  before  arriving  with 
his  army  in  the  valley,  made  propositions  of  peace 
to  the  great  lord  of  it,  whose  name  was  Cuismanes. 
At  first,  this  prince  did  not  think  of  accepting  the 
propositions,  and  prepared  for  war;  but,  after  hav- 
ing compared  his  creed  with  that  of  the  Incas,  he 
found  that  both  acknowledged  a  supreme  Creator, 
besides  secondary  gods,  and  he  then  agreed  to- con- 


130       <  THE  SETTLEMENT. 

form  to  the  worship  of  the  sun."  The  same  ■writer, 
remarking  upon  the  construction  of  the  Temple, 
says:  "The  superior  part  of  the  hill,  upon  which 
it  is  placed,  is  found  to  be  formed  artificially  by 
walls  twelve  yards  high,  by  trom.  two  to  three  broad, 
forming  gradations  like  those  of  an  amphitheatre. 
On  the  summit  is  seen  a  platform,,  in  the  place  of 
the  Temple,  whose  remains  consist  of  niches  and 
saloons,  with  walls  whitened  with  clay,  and  there 
remain  paintings  executed  in  yellow  and  red  colors, 
but  not  sufficiently  distinct  to  discover  the  nature 
of  the  figures. 

"In  the  ruins  of  the  town  we  see  great  squares, 
the  palace  of  the  Incas,  and  other  edifices,  which 
from  their  extent  we  may  calculate  to  have  con- 
tained many  thousand  inhabitants." 

Being  provided,  by  our  friend  Don  Jorge,  with 
good,  fresh  horses,  in  place  of  the  miserable  crea- 
tures we  had  brought  out,  and  the  latter  being 
placed  in  charge  of  a  negro  servant  to  carry  in, 
we  made  our  journey  to  Lima  with  comparative 
ease.  The  rascally  Italian  was  sent  for  to  receive 
his  horses,  and  came  to  meet  the  storm  of  indigna- 
tion, to  which  each  individual  of  our  party  gave 
free  vent.  Those  who  pretended  to  speak  Spanish 
labored  for  abusive  epithets,  and  those  who  could 


REDRESS  OUR  WRONGS.  131 

not,  crushed  his  ears  by  the  pel  tings  of  hard- 
mouthed  Saxon.  He  came  prepared  for  this  as  a 
matter  of  business,  and  stood  it  quietly,  but  was 
much  surprised  at  the  measure  of  active  redress 
we  had  devised;  not  one  exactly  legal,  or  entirely 
safe  to  ourselves.  Having  expressed  our  opinions 
of  him  to  the  full,  we  told  him  he  might  take  his 
horses,  but  that  his  saddles  and  spurs  were  locked 
up  in  our  rooms,  and  would  not  be  deKvered  until 
he  refunded,  for  the  use  of  the  poor,  a  part  of  his 
unmerited  gains.'  He  held  out  for  three  days, 
during  which  we  were  somewhat  uneasy,  lest  an- 
noying proceedings  might  be  visited  upon  us;  when 
he  came,  made  the  required  restitution,  and  took  his 
property,  perhaps  more  to  our  relief  than  his  own. 


132  THE  BALSA, 


\  CHAPTER    XIII. 

The  Balsa — Passing  breakers — Huacos — Henegg  currency — Payta 
— Guayaquil  bats — The  patriot's  death. 

It  is  said  never  to  rain  in  the  vicinity  of  Lima, 
and  in  truth  raining  is  not  a  habit  of  the  country; 
but  nevertheless  good  honest  showers  are  sometimes 
experienced ;  and  fogs,  which  leave  puddles  in  the 
streets,  and  moist  clothes  on  the  backs  of  those  ex- 
posed to  them,  are  frequent.  Th^se  fogs  are,  how- 
ever, limited  in  extent,  covered  undoubtedly  by  the 
mountains  surrounding  Lima.  Our  next  point  from 
Callao,  was  to  a  region  of  the  coast  celebrated  for 
the  transparent  clearness  of  its  atmosphere, — ^the 
town  of  Payta,  in  the  province  of  Piura. 

Payta  is  seven  degrees  north  of  Lima,  and  five 
south  of  the  line,  a  short  distance ;  and  in  making 
it  from  the  south  soon  passed  over  in  consequence 
of  the  usual  direction  of  the  wind ;  and  from  the 
same  cause  it  is  a  tedious  business  to  make  a  voy- 
age in  the  opposite  direction.     I  have  been  five 


"      -  THE  BALSA.  133 

days  in  running  from  Callao  to  Payta,  and  one 
month  getting  back. 

On  our  way  to  thia  place  we  were  required  to  make 
a  short  stop  at  the  intermediate  port  of  Lambay- 
eque.  Port  or  harbor  there  is  none,  the  landing 
for  Lambayeque  (which  is  seven  miles  back  in  the 
country)  being  at  a  small  village  on  the  beach,  ex- 
posed to  the  full  sweep  of  the  waves  of  the  Pacific^ 
which  far  out  at  sea  rise  into  swelling  rollers  and 
white-crested  breakers,  which  tumble  in  roaring 
surges  upon  the  shore.  Such  a  mass  of  agitated 
ocean  was  not  to  be  safely  passed  by  any  of  our 
appliances  in  the  way  of  boats ;  and,  therefore, 
casting  anchor  outside  of  the  breakers,  we  waited 
until  the  people  on  shore  communicated  with  us 
by  their  own  contrivances.  Soon  after  a  sail  was 
seen  rising  and  sinking,  contending  and  advancing 
through  this  foaming  sea.  It  drew  near  our  ship, 
as  the  moving  power  of  a  strange  machine,  called 
a  "balsa."         ,  -,.  ■ 

The  balsa  was  nothing  more  than  a  pile  of  logs 
of  a  light  wood,  crossing  each  other  in  layers,  al- 
ternately in  opposite  directions,  and  firmly  laghed 
together.  - 

"  Calhear',  or  beam,  or  davit  bas  it  none; 
Starboard  nor  larboard,  gunwale,  stem  nor  atem." 

12 


134  PASSING  BREAKERS. 

It  rose  several  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  water ; 
■was  manned  by  a  crew  of  Indians,  and  steered  by 
means  of  boards  passed  down  between  the  logs ;  a 
single  rough  mast  supported  a  large  square  sail. 

Such  of  us  as  were  delegated  to  visit  the  shore, 
took  our  seats  on  this  pile  ;  the  sail  was  hoisted, 
and  we  moved  slowly  over  the  surface  of  the  ocean 
until  we  reached  the  breakers,-  when  a  tremendous 
roller  dashed  us  into  their  midst.  With  a  perfect 
feeling  of  security,  we  were  now  amid  a  sublime 
scene.  Behind,  the  Pacific  seemed  to  be  rolling 
in,  a  wall  of  waters,  which  must  overwhelm  us,  but, 
as  they  approached,  the  swell  preceding  them 
lifted  us  up,  until  we  were  hurried  on,  amid  the 
foaming  crest  of  their  summits;  or  else  they  broke 
over  our  floating  log  pile,  in  a  deluge  of  spray ; 
all  about  us  the  sea  was  tumbling,  foaming,  and 
roaring.  The  only  danger  is,  in  case  the  lashing 
gives  way,  which  sometimes  happens;  and  from 
this  accident  a  party  had  been  drowned,  shortly 
before  our  arrival.  At  length,  a  roller  which  had 
borne  us  along  on  its  summit,  retired,  leaving  us 
upon  the  beach. 

Besides  this  contrivance  for  passing  through 
breakers,  they  are  sometimes  encountered  by  a  sin- 
gle person  astride  of  a  "  cavallo,"  or  horse,  which  is 


HUACOS.  135 

nothing  more  than  the  inflated  skin  of  an  animal. 
There  being  nothing  to  detain,  or  attract  us  in  the 
few  houses  which  formed  the  "port,"  our  party 
procured  horses,  and,  under  the  guidance  of  an  old 
gentleman,  our  countryman,  who  had  resided  many 
years  in  the  country,  we  proceded  to  Lambayeque, 
to  which  an  hour  and  a  half  s  riding  brought  us. 

Why  there  should  be  such  a  place  as  Lambayeque, 
it  is  diflScult  to  see.  Although  a  small  place,  it  is 
composed  of  good  houses  on  regular  streets,  but  all 
having  the  stillness  and  desertion  of  a  New  Eng- 
land village  on  a  Sabbath  day.  Scarcely  an  indi- 
vidual was  to  be  seen,  as  we  rode  through  the 
streets.  Of  course,  in  such  a  place  there  was  no 
occasion  for  a  public  house,  and  we  made  our  home 
with  the  friend  who  had  picked  us  up  on  the 
beach;  who  gave  us  a  hospitable  welcome,  and  the 
refreshment  of  a  large  pitcher  pf  chicha,  which 
was  placed  upon  the  table  in  his  "  sala." 

In  the  neighborhood  of  Lambayeque,  are  several 
of  the  mound  tombs  of  the  ancient  Peruvians,  in 
which  are  found  numbers  of  the  hollow  vessels  call- 
ed "huacos."  These  are  constructed  in  rude  imita- 
tion of  human  beings,  and  inferior  animals,  and  re- 
present every  known  occupation  and  act  of  life. 
Most  of  those  found  are  of  black  earth,  but  some, 


136 


HEN-EGG  CURRENCY. 


of  gold  and  silver.  Many  have  apertures,  which, 
upon  being  blown  into,  produced  a  whistling  sound. 
The  demand  for  these  relics  of  aboriginal  antiquity 
among  the  curious,  have  caused  them  to  be  imita- 
ted in  manufactories^  for  the  purpose,  in  some  "of 
the  more  accessible  parts  of  Peru,  but  here  we  had 
the  opportunity  of  procuring  the  genuine  article, 
and  we  availed  ourselves  of  it.  Almost  every 
house  in  town  had  some  of  them  among  its  furni- 
ture; and,  as  soon  as  our  wishes  became  known,  the 
door  of  our  host  was  thronged  with  men,  women, 
and  children,  seeking  to  dispose  of  their  stock  in 
trade;  and  so  soon  as  we  had  relieved  one  set,  an- 
other took  their  place.  The  prices  at  first  were 
very  low,  but  seeing  the  readiness  with  which  we 
purchased,  they  ran  them  up  with  the  rapidity 
which  increases  the  value  of  town  lots,  in  a  time 
of  speculating  excitement;  and  when  we  had  pur- 
chased all  we  could  transport,  the  owners  of  those 
yet  unsold  hung  about  the  doors,  endeavoring  to 
attract  our  notice  by  chirping  and  whistling  upon 
such  as  were  constructed  with  these  musical  facili- 
ties. 

The  market  of  Lambayeque  was  well  supplied 
with  fruits  and  vegetables,  delicious  white  grapes 
being  in  great  abundance ;  and  we  here  trafficked 


PAYTA.  137 

in  a  new  currency;  no  other  than  eggs,  which  cir- 
culate as  small  coin,  of  the  value  of  three  cents 
each. 

Upon  our  return  to  the  "port,"  the  wind  had  so 
much  increased,  and  the  breakers  ran  so  high,  that 
even  the  balsas  could  not  pass  them,  and  we  were 
compelled  to  remain  there  over  night,  sleeping  on 
benches  and  tables,  in  a  storeroom  of  sweet  pota- 
toes and  pumpkins,  and  amid  myriads  of  reptiles 
and  insects,  in  no  small  apprehension  of  one  called 
the  "salamanchaca,"  the  bite  of  which  is  said  to 
be  poisonous. 

On  the  following  day,  the  sea  was  sufficiently 
appeased  to  permit  a  balsa  to  pass  the  breakers, 
and  we  rejoined  our  ship. 

Our  next^  anchorage  was  Payta,  which,  with  its 
surrounding  country,  presents  a  most  dreary  and 
desolate  appearance.  A  cluster  of  thatched-roof 
houses,  under  a  range  of  naked,  yellow  sand-hills, 
without  shrub,  tuft,  or  sprig  of  vegetation  in  sight, 
is  the  prospect  presented  by  the  town  and  surround- 
ing country.  The  town  is  the  dwelling-place  of 
four  thousand  human  beings,  and  is  the  port  of 
Piura,  distant  forty-five  miles  in  the  interior,  and 
containing  twelve  thousand  inhabitants.  The  houses 
of  Payta  are  constructed  of  reeds,  filled  in  with 
12* 


138  PAYTA. 

mud  and  blocks  of  wood.  Inside  they  are  roomy^ 
clean,  and  comfortable. 

Pay ta  has  not  a  drop  of  fresh  drinking  water 
within  twelve  miles  J  and,  as  it  only  rains  once  in 
every  three  or  four  years,  the  inhabitants  are  de- 
pendent upon  a  river,  distant  the  above-mentioned 
twelve  miles.  The  water  is  brought  in,  every 
morning,  on  donkeys,  each  load  costing  twenty-five 
cents,  and  the  monthly  supply  of  an  ordinary-sized 
family  costing  from  eight  to  ten  dollars. 

Provisions  are  brought  from  the  same  region, 
and  the  market  is  well  supplied,  at  low  rates,  with 
plantains,  banianas,  avocados,  or,  as  they  are  gene- 
rally called,  alligator  pears,  figs,  pomegranates, 
sweet  potatoes,  and  tomatoes,  with  beef,  mutton, 
and  poultry.  The  Indian  market-women  wear  the 
ancient  costume  of  the  days  of  the  Incas^-a  loose 
black  cotton  robe,  with  large,  full  sleeves. 

Notwithstanding  the  barren  appearance  of  the 
neighborhood  of  Payta,  the  province  of  Piura  is 
fertile  and  abundant  in  productions,  animal,  vege- 
table, and  mineral.  It  exports  cotton,  cattle,  goat 
skins,  and  silver.  The  cotton  grows  to  the  size  of 
a  tree,  and  produces  two  crops  in  the  year.  At 
the  time  of  our  visit,  it  was  suffering  much  from 
drought,  not  having  had  rain  for  ten  years!     My 


GUAYAQUIL  HATS.  139 

informant  stated  that  a  few  showers,  every  three  or 
four  years,  were  sufficient  to  cover  these  barren 
hills  with  verdure,  and,  should  they  now  have  timely 
rain,  it  would  be  a  pecuniary  advantage  to  Payta 
of  six  hundred  thousand  dollars. 

The  purity,  transparency,  and  dryness  of  the 
atmosphere,  secure  good  health  to  the  inhabitants 
of  Payta,  and  offer  but  little  encouragement  to 
the  disciples  of  the  healing  art.  The  individuals 
who  followed  this  profession,  when  I  was  there, 
were  a  painter,  a  barber,  and  a  hospital  steward, 
discharged  from  a  man-of-war;  and,  consequently, 
when  any  serious  disease  or  injury  occurred,  the 
sufferers  died  of  "  medicable  wounds."  The  healing 
influences  in  use  are  Indian  remedies,  or  religious 
and  superstitious  rites.  An  intelligent  medical 
man  might  have  some  influence  with  the  lower 
orders,  but  his  profession  would  be  a  great  bar  to 
respectability.  In  one  of  the  larger  towns  of  the 
province,  an  English  medical  man  had  accumulated 
a  small  property,  when  a  lady,  who  took  an  interest 
in  him,  urged  him  to  abandon  his  profession  and 
open  a  shop,  as  she  was  anxious  he  should  be  en- 
gaged in  some  creditable  and  respectable  pursuit. 

Although  the  best  Guayaquil  hats  come  from  the 


140  GUAYAQUIL  HATS. 

place  after  which  they  are  named,  large  numbers 
of  a  similar  kind  are  made  in  the  province  of  Piura, 
and  exported  from  Payta.  It  is  difficult  for  an  in- 
experienced observer  to  distinguish  one  made  in 
Piura  from  a  genuine  Guayaquil.  These  hats  vary 
in  price  from  three  or  four  to  fifty  dbllars;  and, 
although  their  comfort  and  durability  are  well  known 
in  the  United  States,  where  they  are  so  much  used, 
there  appears  nothing  to  justify  their  great  cost,  to 
one  unacquainted  with  their  manufacture.  The 
grass  of  which  they  are  made,  requires  to  be  se- 
lected and  prepared  with  great  care.  Equador,  in 
which  it  grows,  prohibits  its  exportation;  and  the 
fine  hats  can  only  be  worked  upon  in  a  state  of  the 
atmosphere  confined  to  a  limited  number  of  hours 
in  the  day,  so  that  a  very  fine  hat  occupies  months 
in  preparation. 

Not  long  anterior  to  our  visit  the  plaza  or  square 
of  Payta  was  the  scene  of  a  political  execution, 
which  excited  much  interest  in  the  breasts  of  all 
acquainted  with  it.  It  was  one  of  those  quiet, 
unnumbered  tributes  of  life  and  honor  to  patriotism, 
principle,  or  ambition,  the  remembrance  of  which 
dwells  in  a  neighborhood,  but  is  never  elevated  upon 
the  altar  of  fame.     A  young  man,  by  the  name  of 


MANUEL  ANGULO.  141 

Manuel  Angulo,  with  a  view  to  reforming  his  coun- 
try, revolutionized  the  province  of  Piura.  Although 
having  but  thirty  followers,  he  was  at  first  success- 
ful, but  finally  was  defeated,  taken  prisoner,  con- 
fined in  a  vessel  in  the  harbor  of  Payta,  from  which 
he  was  to  be  conducted  to  the  shore  and  shot.  The 
officers  of  the  foreign  men-of-war  looked  upon  the 
matter  as  a  political  murder,  and  determined  to 
rescue  him  in  an  unofficial  manner.  Two  of  the 
boats  of  a  United  States  vessel  of  war  were  to  fol- 
low, as  if  accidentally,  close  upon  that  conducting 
the  prisoner;  he  was  to  jump  overboard,  the  Amer- 
ican boats  were  to  rush  in,  and,  in  the  confusion, 
rescue  him.  A  note  communicating  this  arrange- 
ment was  sent  him.  On  the  appointed  day  the 
prisoner  left  the  ship  for  his  final  journey,  the 
United  States  boats  followed  closely,  but  he  made 
no  efibrt  to  jump  overboard,  was  conducted  to  the 
plaza,  and  shot.  It  is  not- known  that  he  ever  re- 
ceived the  note. 

Just  before  his  execution,  while  awaiting  the  fire, 
he  wrote  with  a  pencil  upon  a  scrap  of  paper,  the 
following  note : — 

My  Dear  Sister:  It  is  the  hour  of  seven — 
the  hour  in  which  I  am  to  die.     This  letter  will 


142  MANUEL  ANGULO. 

cause  you  to  shed  a  sea  of  tears.  Let  me  be  an 
example  -to  your  children,  that  they  do  not  enter 
upon  the  career  of  their  ill-fated  uncle.  May  you 
be  as  happy  as  your  brother  is  unfortunate. 

MANUEL  ANGULO. 


\' 


ARRIVAL  AT  THE  MARQUESAS.  143 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

Arrival  at  the  Marquesas — Native  costume — Tattooing — Scenery 
— Native  dwellings — Council-house — Royal  visit— Marquesan 
character— French  dominion — Arrival  at  Hawaii — Missionary 
influence — The  Governor  of  Hawaii — Fall  Of  the  rainbow — 
Native  schools. 

From  Payta  our  destination  was  to  the  distant 
islands  of  the  Pacific — to  the  last  people  brought 
forth  by  the  age  of  discovery — to  make  the  ac- 
quaintance of  cannibal  races.  The  Marquesan 
group  was  that  of  our  destination,  and  one-half  of 
the  Pacific  Ocean  was  to  be  passed  over  before 
reaching  it.  But  it  was  an  ever  smooth  sea,  and 
our  sails,  once  spread  to  the  fair  and  gentle  breezes 
of  this  region,  scarcely  required  any  change  during 
the  whole  voyage.  Eighteen  days  brought  us  to 
the  Island  of  Nookaheeva,  and  the  solitude  which 
reigns  in  this  part  of  the  ocean-waste  over  which 
we  had  sailed  may  be  judged  from  the  fact,  that 
in  all  this  time  we  did  not  see  a  single  sail,  or 
any  living  creature  save  a  few  flying-fish. 

Coming  from  the  barren  and  monotonous  shores 


144  ARRIVAL  AT  THE  MARQUESAS. 

of  Peru,  the  contrasted  scenery  of  these  volcanic 
islands  is  peculiarly  impressive.  They  present 
precipitous  and  jagged  walls  to  the  ocean,  which 
surges  around  them ;  or  rise  into  lofty  mountains, 
whose  sides  are  luxuriant  in  verdure,  or  broken 
into  ravines  and  valleys,  shaded  by  the  dark  foliage 
of  the  bread-fruit,  or  curving  leaves  of  the  cocoa- 
nut.  Running  along  this  beautiful  scenery,  in 
sight  of  many  of  the  natives,  who  were  standing 
like  statues  on  the  ledges  of  the  rocks,  we  entered 
and  anchored  in  a  pretty  bay,  formed  by  the  base 
of  a  mountain  amphitheatre.  For  citizens  of  the 
United  States  this  bay  had  some  interesting  asso- 
ciations. Here  was  the  distant  depot  and  rendez- 
Tous  of  Commodore  Porter,  during  his  active  cruise 
against  the  commerce  of  England,  in  the  war  of 
1812,  and  was  called  Madisonville.  And  this  oc- 
cupation by  Commodore  Porter  was  the  first  ap- 
proach to  a  settlement  of  these  islands.  Now  they 
are  in  the  possession  of  the  French,  who  are  building 
extensive  roads,  and  strong  forts;  the  site  of  Com- 
modore Porter's  fort  at  this  place  is  that  now  occu- 
pied by  the  French.  The  island  is  fourteen  mileg 
long. 

Those  accustomed  to  the  sombre,  stolid  charac- 
ter of  the  aborigines  of  om*  country,  would  not  be 


NATIVE  COSTUME.  145 

likely  to  form  a  correct  judgment  of  that  of  the 
Marquesans.  They  are  of  fine  athletic,  hut  slender 
and  agile  figures,  of  a  lighter  and  clearer  complex- 
ion than  that  of  our  Indians,  or  those  of  the  other 
islands;  with  animated  varying  countenances,  dis- 
playing in  strong  expression  every  emotion. 

Their  costume  consisted  of  some  folds  of  the 
Kapa  cloth,  called  a  "maro,"  around  the  loins;  and 
a  mantle  is  worn  by  the  females,  passing  over  one 
shoulder  and  the  chest,  and  fastening  under  the 
arm  of  the  opposite  side,  being  thus  loose  and  flow- 
ing to  the  wind;  it  of  course  does  not  afford  much 
protection  to  the  person ;  most  of  them  wore 
wreaths  of  leaves  or  flowers  around  the  head, 
which,  at  the  same  time,  was  a  pretty  ornament, 
and  a  protection  from  the  rays  of  the  sun.  The 
beautiful  glossy  black  hair  of  the  females  was,  in 
many  cases,  gathered  in  a  bunch  at  the  back  of  the 
head.  The  men  had  portions  of  the  head  shaved, 
and  the  remainder  of  the  hair,  or  what  was  left, 
done  up  in  one  or  two  bunches,  projecting  like 
horns.  Males  and  females  had  perforations,  or 
slits  in  the  lobes  of  the  ears,  and  these  filled  to 
distension  with  various  things;  bones,  pieces  of 
tortoise  shell,  teeth,  &c.  Some  wore  whale's  teeth, 
and  others  small  white  flowers  tied  up  and  inclosed 
13 


146  TATTOOING. 

in  a  leaf,  suspended  around  the  neck ;  others  were 
decorated  with  necklaces  of  a  large  red  pod,  like 
that  of  the  pepper,  strung  together. 

Tattooing  appeared  a  prevalent  fashion,  to  which 
all  conformed,  young  and  old,  male  and  female. 
It  varied  in  diflferent  individuals  from  a  few  delicate 
lines,  to  an  extent  covering  the  whole  person  with 
a  hluish-green,  livid  hue.  Some  of  the  women  had 
only  a  few  delicate  blue  lines,  crossing  the  lips 
from  front  to  back ;  others  had  their  hands  and 
forearms  elaborately  colored;  a  group  of  young 
girls,  which  I  met  in  one  of  my  walks,  had  several 
of  their  number  with  their  arms  enveloped  in  kapa- 
cloth  coverings ;  they  were  in  a  high  state  of  in- 
flammation from  their  recent  tattooing.  A  favorite 
device,  and  I  only  observed  it  among  the  males, 
was  a  band  about  two  inches  broad,  commencing 
high  up  on  the  forehead,  on  one  side,  crossing, 
diagonally,  the  forehead,  the  root  of  the  nose,  and 
terminating  on  the  opposite  cheek,  about  its  mid- 
dle, on  a  level  with  the  inferior  portion  of  the  ear; 
from  each  corner  of  the  termination  of  this  broad 
band,  a  delicate  line  crossed  the  remainder  of  the 
cheek  to  thq  neck.  Some,  had  the  entire  face  of 
this  awful  green  hue;  others,  grim  old  warriors, 
from  foot  to  head,  had  changed  to  this  ghastly 


FINE  SCENERY.  147 

color,  rendered  more  horrid  by  the  contrasting  red 
of  their  eyelids  and  the  white  of  their  eyeballs. 

On  our  first  visit  to  the  shore  to  look  at  the  na- 
tives, and  their  circumstances,  we  took  our  way 
along  the  bank  of  a  brawling  brook,  up  the  valley 
which  opened  from  the  mountains  upon  the  bay. 
The  rays  of  the  sun  were  shut  out  by  the  foliage 
of  the  bread-fruit  and  cocoa-nut  trees ;  th6  cotton- 
plant,  gourd,  and  various  trees  and  shrubs  in 
flower,  were  growing  wild,  in  a  fertile  soil  covering 
the  volcanic  rocks.  Ascending  to  the  summit  of 
a  span,  jutting  from  the  mountain  in  the  back- 
ground, we  had  around  us  a  variety  of  beautiful 
scenes.  In  full  view  were  the  bay  and  the  ship- 
ping, the  jutting  mountains  which  inclosed  it,  in 
wild  irregularity  of  outline;  at  one  point  an  im- 
mense naked  perpendicular  wall  of  rock  would  rise 
from  the  luxuriant  mass  of  foliage;  at  others, 
rounded  towers  of  nature's  build,  tufted  and  plumed 
with  shrubs,  stood  prominent  in  view.  Through  a 
distant  crevice  the  silver  thread  of  a  slender  cata- 
ract was  seen  stealing  over  a  precipice,  and  losing 
itself  in  the  shady  depths  below.  Looking  over 
the  surface  of  the  ocean,  the  neighboring  islands 
of  the  group  were  in  view.  Beneath  us,  on  tl^p 
left,  was  the  valley  we  had  just  left,  with  its  French 


148  NATIVE  DWELLINGS. 

settlements,  and  the  buildings  of  their  freshly 
planted  civilization;  in  a  similar  valley  on  our 
right,  were  the  simple  cottages  of  the  islanders, 
and  hearing  voices  ascending  from  the  thick  groves 
of  this  valley,  we  descended  to  make  a  further  ac- 
quaintance with  the  people. 

Their  dwellings  were  small  and  neat,  being  con- 
structed of  the  leaves  of  the  cocoa-nut  trees  matted 
together  with  much  art,  and  giving  a  comfortable 
and,  for  such  a  material,  substantial  look  to  the  build- 
ing. These  cottages  are  built  with  the  roof  falling  in 
a  single  inclined  plane  from  back  to  front.  In  front 
of  the  door  was,  generally,  a  broad  stone  step  or 
platform,  and  the  floor  is  paved  with  smooth,  flat 
stones.  The  interior  is  divided  into  chambers,  by 
matting  or  kapa-cloths  screens,  and  in  those  that 
consist  of  only  a  single  room,  a  sill  or  timbers  is 
laid  across  the  back  part  of  the  room,  and  inside 
of  this  are  spread  the  mats  for  sleeping.  Their  cot- 
tages are  generally  placed  along,  or  near  the  mar- 
gin of  a  brook,  and  altogether  they  display  a  higher 
sense  of  neatness,  and  better  understanding  of 
comfort,  than  is  shown  by  many  people  calling 
themselves  civilized.  The  natives  gave  us  a  cor- 
4ial  reception,  invited  us  into  their  houses,  and 


INDIAN  COUNCIL- House.  149 

the  children  seized  our  hands  and  danced  about  us 
in  great  glee.  '>^%^    '        ' 

Strolling  through  this  beautiful  valley,  and  wan- 
dering from  cottage  to  cottage,  we  at  length  came 
out  upon  the  sea-beach  near  where  the  king's  house 
was  standing,  this  being  indicated  by  a  flag-staff, 
from  which  the  tri-color  was  streaming.  Near  this 
royal  mansion,  was  the  barbarian  council-house,  a 
long  building  open  in  front.  Seated  along  the 
front  sill  of  this  building,  and  occupying  its  entire 
length,  were  ranged  green-skinned,  red-eyed,  gray- 
bearded  savage  warriors,  undoubtedly  the  great 
men  of  the  nation.  As  we  drew  near,  they  looked 
at  us  like  statues,  neither  invited  nor  repulsed  us, 
and  said  not  a  word  among  themselves.  Back  of 
these  warriors  the  room  was  filled  with  people,  men, 
women,  and  children,  lying  about  the  floor.  After 
looking  in  upon  them  for  some  time,  and  seeing  no 
offence  taken  at  our  curiosity,  we  walked  in  among 
them.  A  fine-looking  youth,  of  some  eighteen  or 
twenty  years  of  age,  now  came  forward  to  do  the 
honors  of  the  house.  He  wore  the  uniform  of  a 
French  officer,  including  a  pair  of  bright  epaulettes, 
and  was  the  only  person  among  them  habited  in 
other  than  the  native  costume.  He  spoke  a  little 
English,  and  informed  us  that  he  was  the  kind's 
13* 


150  INDIAN  COUNCIL,- HOUSE. 

brother,  and  then  presented  us  to  his  mother,  an 
old  female,  of  delicate  features  and  figure,  which 
had  once  been  handsome.  Although  the  remain- 
der of  the  company  appeared  reserved  and  quiet, 
they  seemed  willing  to  enter  into  conversation  with 
us,  if  we  attempted  to  address  them.  Several 
tattooed  heroes  were  lying  serpent-like,  full  length 
upon  the  floor,  and  their  eyes  followed  our  move- 
ments about  the  room  with  something  like  stern- 
ness; but  upon  something  occurring  which  excited 
merriment,  these  relaxed  their  severity  and  joined 
in  the  laugh. 

In  one  corner  of  the  room  were  the  instruments 
of  their  warlike  music,  consisting  of  three  drums 
made  of  hollow  logs,  about  five  feet  high,  covered 
at  the  top  with  tightly-drawn  skins. 

Leaving  the  council-house,  we  entered  a  grove 
in  which  several  men  and  girls  were  lounging. 
The  girls  intimated  a  wish  to  sing  for  us,  and  hav- 
ing cheerfully  given  our  assent,  they  sang  a  soft, 
monotonous,  but  pleasant  air,  accompanying  them- 
selves on  a  very  simple  instrument — being  two 
pieces  of  light,  white  wood,  stripped  of  its  bark; 
each  piece,  about  four  inches  long  by  one  in  diam- 
eter, was  held  at  length  between  the  thumb  and 


■     ^  ROYAL  VISIT.  151 

finger  of  each  hand,  and  light  sounds  elicited  by 
striking  them  together. 

On  the  following  morning  our  ship  was  visited  by 
the  king,  Maouni,  and  his  queen ;  they  were  accom- 
panied by  the  young  man  whom  we  had  met  at  the 
council-house,  and  another  youth,  the  king  of  one  of 
the  neighboring  islands,  now  on  a  visit  to  Maouni. 
Maouni  was  about  twenty-three  years  of  age,  and 
without  anything  very  attractive  in  his  appearance. 
The  men  were  all  dressed  in  the  uniform  of  French 
officers,  but  the  queen  displayed  only  the  attire  of 
her  native  royalty.  A  white  kapa-cloth  mantle, 
passing  over  the  shoulders,  crossed  the  chest  to  the 
opposite  side,  and  fastened  under  the  arm>pit  in  an 
immense  knot,  which  stood  out  like  a  small  balloon. 
All  of  one  shoulder  and  most  of  the  breast  were 
thus  exposed,  as  were  also  the  legs  below  the  knees. 
Such  parts  of  her  person  as  were  thus  left  in  view 
gloried  in  the  decorations  of  elaborate  tattooing. 
She  was  from  eighteen  to  twenty  years  of  age, 
with  a  pleasant  smilijig  countenance,  and  delicate 
slender  figure.  She  extended  her  hand  with  a 
smile  to  each  person  to  whom  she  was  introduced, 
and  kissed  it  quite  gracefully  to  one  whom  she  re- 
cognized as  having  met  before. 

The  Marquesans  are  the  finest  race  of  savages 


MARQUESAN  CHARACTER. 

I  have  ever  seen,  and  it  is  much  to  be  deplored 
that  they  are  so  soon  to  disappear.  But  it  is  well 
known,  that  while  other  parts  of  Polynesia  have 
voluntarily  admitted  the  influence  of  our  devoted 
and  intelligent  missionaries,  these  have  pertina- 
ciously rejected  them.  From  their  natural  intelli- 
gence, and  sprightliness  of  character,  there  is 
reason  to  believe  that  if  the  influences,  the  proper 
influences  of  civilization,  could  be  brought  to  bear 
upon  them,  they  would  reach  a  high  degree  of  cul- 
tivation. Their  force  and  energy  of  character 
with  their  intelligence  acting  under  barbarian  in- 
fluences, have  undoubtedly  been  the  causes  which 
have  driven  from  them  the  influences  of  Christianity 
and  civilization.  The  French  seem  to  have  no 
wish  to  preserve  them;  on  the  contrary,  I  regret 
to  say  they  are  freely  difi"using  the  means  of  de- 
struction. The  currency,  or  payment  for  their  com- 
modities was  spirits  and  tobacco,  dispensed  from 
the  French  storehouses.  During  our  visit  to  the 
shore,  we  met  several  reeling  from  the  storehouses 
with  bottles  of  the  fire-water  in  their  hands. 

That  these  splendid  islanders,  iC  left  to  their  own 
taste,  diet  upon  each  other,  there  is  no  doubt  '^  for 
although,  during  our  short  and  hurried  visit  to 
them,  no  opportunity  was  afforded  of  seeing  their 


FRENCH  DOMINION.  153 

cannibalism,  individuals  who  had  lived  among  them 
for  many  years,  testified  that  such  was  their  habit. 
The  French  have  not  won  upon  their  afiiections, 
but  are  looked  upon  with  much  hatred.  Knowing 
us  to  be  of  a  diflferent  nation,  they  volunteered 
intimations  of  their  dislike  for  their  French  rulers. 
The  care  and  perseverance  with  which  the 
French  are  occupying  this  and  the  Society  group, 
looks  something  like  preparations  for  a  future  mil- 
itary influence  in  the  Pacific.  Already  they  are 
beginning  to  tread  a  little  upon  our  toes.  Our 
whaling  commerce,  which  far  exceeds  that  of  all 
other  nations  combined,  has  had  many  facilities  in 
provisioning  and  watering  by  a  resort  to  the  is- 
lands of  the  Pacific;  but  no  sooner  do  the  French 
establish  their  right  of  possession,  than  they  place 
restrictions  upon  these  facilities ;  issuing  an  order 
that  our  whalers  are  not  to  visit  any  of  the  ports 
of  islands  which  they  occupy,  excepting  those  in 
which  they  are  established.  With  but  a  few  days' 
delay  at  this  place,  on  the  morning  of  August 
16th,  we  took  our  departure  for  the  Sandwich  or 
Hawaiian  group ;  and  in  two  weeks  of  pleasant 
sailing,  arrived  at  the  settlement  of  Hilo,  on  By- 
ron's Bay,  in  the  Island  of  Hawaii.  Now  we 
were  among  a  people  just  born  to  civilization  and 


154  HAWAII. 

Christianity,  and  where  the  habits  and  customs  of 
civilized  man  contrasted  with  much  that  remained 
of  primitive  barbarism. 

Hawaii  is  the  largest  island  of  the  group  which 
bears  its  name,  having  a  surface  of  four  thousand 
three  hundred  square  miles,  and  is  distinguished 
by  two  mountains  of  nearly  equal  height,  named 
Loa  and  Mouna  Kea,  each  being  over  fourteen 
thousand  feet  in  elevation.  Unlike  most  moun- 
tainous volcanic  islands,  Hawaii  does  not  present 
an  abrupt,  rugged  appearance,  but  rises  from  the 
sea  to  its  snowy  summits,  in  a  smooth,  gently  as- 
cending line.  The  landscape  about  the  little  town 
of  Waikea,  on  Byron's  Bay,  displays  a  rich,  broad, 
green  slope,  ascending  from  the  ocean,  extending 
on  either  hand  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach,  and 
terminating  above  in  mountain-side  forests.  This 
forest  line  generally  bounds  the  inland  view,  for 
the  oval  summit  of  Mouna  Loa,  and  the  more 
rugged  summit  of  Mouna  Kea,  are  nearly  always 
enveloped  in  clouds.  The  bright  green  of  this  ex- 
tensive slope  is  varied  by  the  darker  hues  of  the 
bread-fruit  and  cocoa-nut  groves.  The  houses  of 
the  missionaries,  seen  among  the  trees,  give  the 
settlement  the  comfortable  home  look  of  a  New 
England  village ;  an  appearance  the  more  striking 


MISSIONARY  INFLUENCE.  155 

and  impressive  from  our  finding  it  in  a  land  of 
savages.  If  the  missionaries  had  no  more  direct 
influence  on  these  people,  their  presence  would  be 
beneficial  as  conveying  the  arts,  taste,  and  comforts 
of  civilization,  where  commerce  had  not  extended 
its  influence. 

Upon  landing,  we  were  met  at  the  beach  by  a 
dense  throng  of  natives,  men,  women,  and  children, 
keeping  close  at  our  heels,  and  following  us  wher- 
ever we  went.  Most  of  them  were  in  some  sort 
clothed.  All  of  the  females  wore  a  frock  of  some 
kind;  some  of  the  men  gloried  in  a  pair  of  panta- 
loons ;  but  most  of  them  had  got  no  farther  into 
the  outward  badges  of  civilization  than  a  shirt,  in 
addition  to  the  native  maro. 

Our  first  call  was  upon  Mr.  Coan,  a  missionary 
distinguished  for  his  talents,  learning,  and  unflinch- 
ing physical  and  moral  courage,  directed  by  an 
unassuming  piety.  Mr.  Coan  was  absent  on  some 
of  the  laborious  duties  of  his  station,  but  we  had 
the  pleasure  of  making  the  acquaintance  of  his 
exceedingly  agreeable  and  intelligent  lady.  Our 
next  call  was  upon  Mr.  Pittman,  who  keeps  the 
only  house  of  business  here,  and  upon  whoso  ob- 
liging disposition  we  were  dependent  in  most  of 
our  shore  negotiations.     His  wife  is  a  native  wo- 


156  MISSIONARY  INFLUENCE. 

man,  the  daughter  of  a  chief,  and  was  the  first 
native  female  we  had  seen  fully  attired  in  the  cos- 
tume of  our  country.  The  only  portion  of  her 
native  dress  which  she  had  retained,  was  a  band 
passing  around  the  head,  and  made  of  the  bright- 
yellow  feathers  of  a  small  bird.  - 

Having  made  these  visits,  we  strolled  through 
the  village,  and  came  upon  the  edge  of  the  lofty 
bank  which  overlooks  the  river  Waikea,  or  river  of 
Destruction,  so  called  from  the  number  of  lives 
which  have  been  lost  in  its  various  torrents.  The 
small  but  wild  stream  presented  a  pretty  and  pic- 
turesque appearance  from  our  point  of  view. 
Foaming  down  a  fall  of  thirty  feet,  the  waters 
smoothed  and  quieted  themselves  in  a  dark  green, 
and  almost  circular  lake-like  pool,  inclosed  by 
high,  black,  basaltic  walls,  upon  the  edge  of  which 
we  stood;  evidently  those  of  an  extinct  crater. 
The  almost  perpendicular  walls  were  now  fringed 
and  draperied  with  a  large-leaved  fern,  growing 
close  to  the  rock,  and  one  leaf  overlapping  another 
almost  with  the  precision  of  art ;  from  this  pool  the 
river  again  poured  itself  through  a  steep  rocky 
ravine  into  the  sea.  A  visit  to  the  king's  Fish 
Pond  completed  our  first  day  in  Hawaii.  The 
pond  is  constructed  simply  by  a  stone  dam  thrown 


THE  GOVEENOR  OF  HAWAII.  157 

across,  a  shallow  stream,  and  here  mullet  are  fat- 
tened for  the  royal  table.  ' 

A  few  days  after  our  arrival,  a  small  schooner 
came  into  the  harbor,  bearing  the  Hawaiian  flag, 
and  in  her  came  passenger,  from  his  residence  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  island,  the  Governor  of 
Hawaii,  Billy  Pitt.  On  the  day  after  his  arrival, 
a  friend  and  myself  having  gone  ashore  for  the 
purpose  of  walking  into  the  country,  the  day  being 
hot,  we  had  thrown  oflf  our  coats,  intending  to  leave 
them  with  Mr.  Pittman,  and  walk  in  our  shirt- 
sleeves. Just  as  we  were  about  starting,  Mr.  Pitt- 
man  asked  us  to  see  the  governor,  then  in  his 
house ;  and  thinking  our  present  attire  good  enough 
to  call  upon  an  Indian  chief,  we  unhesitatingly 
walked  in,  in  our  shirt-sleeves.  We  were,  how- 
ever, somewhat  surprised,  and  not  a  little  abashed, 
at  meeting  a  well,  indeed  rather  dandyishly  dressed 
young  man,  of  some  twenty-five  or  six  years  of 
age.  He  wore  a  dark  frock  coat,  and  a  neat  black 
watchguard  crossed  the  bosom  of  his  shirt.  The 
governor  was  a  chief  of  one  of  the  most  powerful 
families,  and  his  official  position  was,  in  some  de- 
gree, hereditary ;  but,  having  been,  as  is  usual  with 
those  of  noble  birth  unlimitedly  indulged,  he  had 
become  wayward  and  capricious,  indeed,  rather  dis- 
14 


J 58  FALL  OF  THE  RAINBOW. 

sipated;  and,  as  a  consequence  of  such  habits,  he  had 
for  some  time  been^  kept  out  of  his  gubernatorial 
functions,  and  at  this  time  was  only  exercising  them 
upon  trial;  but  so^fa^r  he  had  conducted  well;  and 
being  a  member  of  a  temperance  society,  his  con- 
duct had  been  consistent  with  its  requirements. 

Our  interview  with  this  chief  being  concluded, 
we  pursued  our  walk  about  a  mile  and  a  half  along 
the  bank  of  the  river  Waika,  to  the  Fall  of  the 
Rainbow — a  pretty  fall,  of  eighty  feet.  The  water 
comes  over  the  rock  in  one  main,  and  two  smaller 
streams ;  the  rock  terminates  in  a  straight,  artificial- 
looking  line,  at  about  half  the  depth  of  the  fall, 
and,  beneath  this  line,  recedes  into  a  dark  cavern. 
The  fall  takes  its  name  from  the  prismatic  colors 
exhibited  by  the  vapor  rising  in  the  sunbeams. 

After  our  return  from  the  fall,  we  visited  the 
school  of  native  children,  superintended  by  Mr. 
Lyman,  one  of  the  missionaries.  There  were  about 
fifty  boys  in  the  school,  of  various  ages  and  sizes. 
Their  books  of  instruction,  printed  in  their  own 
language,  comprised  works  of  arithmetic,  algebra, 
geometry,  history,  geography,  natural  philosophy, 
and  anatomy.  They  had  also  maps  and  engravings, 
creditably  executed  by  the  natives  themselves. 

The  pupils  made  some  arithmetical  calculations 


NATIVE  SCHOOLS.  159 

for  us  on  the  blackboard,  and  it  had  a  strange 
effect  to  see  the  familiar  figures  and  results  of 
arithmetic  developing  themselves  upon  the  board, 
accompanied  by  a  language  so  recently  foreign  to 
science  as  the  Hawaiian.  The  pupils  of  this  school 
are  clothed  by  the  Board  of  foreign  missions,  which, 
indeed,  sustains  the  school,  with  the  exception  of 
»  few  whose  parents  have  sufficient  means  to  sup- 
port and  clothe  them.  A  fine  farm  is  connected 
with  the  school,  and  is  cultivated  by  the  boys.  The 
chief  products  are  the  kalo,  bananas,  and  melons. 
Billy  Pitt,  the  governor,  paid  our  ship  a  visit,  a 
few  days  before  our  departure  from  the  island.  He 
wore  a  cocked  hat,  blue  cloth  uniform,  with  gold 
epaulettes,  and  gold  lace  on  the  collar  and  cuffs, 
white  drilling  pantaloons,  and  sword.  His  inquiries 
were  intelligent  and  minute.  At  his  request,  the 
crew  of  a  gun  was  called  to  quarters  and  exercised. 
^  He  left  the  ship  under  a  salute.  The  pupils  of  Mr. 
Lyman's  school  also  paid  us  a  visit,  much  to  their 
gratification,  and  were  as  well  behaved  and  orderly, 
as  merry  and  light-hearted,  as  the  school  children 
of  countries  older  in  civilization. 


160  VOLCANO  OF  KILOUEA. 


CHAPTER    XV. 


Volcano  of  Kilouea — Preparations — (Jourd  trunks — Shore  and  ship 
— Forest  path — Lava  path — Half-way  house — Lomi-lomi — 
Lu-au — Sacred  berries — The  volcano — Night  view — Dangerous 
ground — Descent  to  the  crater — Black  ledge — Burning  lake — 
Hair  of  Pe-le — Native  family  worship — Hpnest  Indians — Mis- 
sionaries. 


Forty  miles  from  the  anchorage  of  Byron's  Bay, 
is  the  stupendous  volcano  of  Kilouea,  situated  on 
the  flank  of  Mouna  Loa,  three  thousand  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea — the  largest  volcano  in  the 
world! — a  crater  between  twenty  and  thirty  miles 
in  circumference  ! — having,  more  than  a  thousand 
feet  down  in  its  gloomy  depths,  an  ever-burning 
lake  of  lava  several  miles  in  circumference.*  These  < 
were  general  facts  suflScient  to  arouse  curiosity,  and 
to  excite  it  to  almost  any  difficulty  for  the  purpose 
of  beholding  so  wonderful  a  phenomenon — noted, 
too,  in  native  superstition,  as  the  head-quarters  of 

•  Circumference  of  crater,  twenty -four  miles;  depth  1,200  feet; 
circuit  of  the  burning  lake,  a  little  over  two  miles. 


VOLCANO  OF  KILOUEA.  161 

its  demonology,  the  fire  palace  of  the  dread  god- 
dess, V4[4. 

Leaving  to  more  competent  persons  the  task  of 
a  philosophic  and  scientific  disquisition  upon  vol- 
canoes in  general,  and  Kilouea  in  particular,  the 
object  of  the  present  narrative  is  to  tell  how  one 
who  traveled  only  for  amusement  got  to  the  vol- 
cano, and  what  he  saw  strange  and  amusing,  both 
on  the  way  and  there. 

Although  horses  were  to  be  obtained,  yet  the 
information  and  advice  we  received  at  Hilo  rather 
inclined  us  to  a  pedestrian  tour,  as  the  least  arduous 
— two  days  being  allowed  to  walk  the  distance.  It 
was  somewhat  of  a  rash  enterprise  for  persons  ac- 
customed to  the  inaction  and  confinement  of  a  ship, 
to  undertake  a  walk  of  twenty  miles  a  day,  under 
a  tropical  sun,  and  over  a  rugged  road^f  hardened 
lava;  but  curiosity  as  to  the  extent  of  our  abilities 
was  undoubtedly  one  inducement  to  the  attempt, 
and,  accordingly,  our  party  was  made  Tip  for  this 
mode  of  travel. 

As  our  absence  from  the  ship  would  occupy  five 
days,  it  became  necessary  to  carry  a  good  store  of 
provisions  and  clothing,  with  sundry  essential  cook- 
ing utensils.  The  only  mode  of  transporting  this 
luggage  was  upon  the  shoulders  of  the  natives. 
14* 


162  FITTING  OUT. 

Our  party  consisted  of  eleven  persons,  and  we 
made  arrangements  with  a  friend  on  shore,  to'have 
collected  at  his  house,  on  the  morning  of  our  de- 
parture, a  suflficient  number  of  kanakas;  and  ac- 
cordingly we  found  his  yard  filled  with  athletic, 
dusky  natives,  eager  and  damprous  for  employ- 
ment. There  being  so  many  candidates  we  be- 
came a  little  choice,  and  selected  the  number  we 
required  according  as  their  physiognomical  expres- 
sion or  muscular  developments  suited  our  fancy  or 
judgment.  Each  of  our  party  employed  one  for 
his  special  use,  and  several  supernumeraries  were 
engaged  for  general  service;  so  that,  white  and  red, 
clothed  and  naked,  we  formed  a  force  of  between 
twenty  and  thirty  persons.  The  compensation  to 
be  made  them  was  moderate  enough — fifty  cents  a 
day,  they  finding  their  own  food.  This  latter,  in- 
dependent of  the  consideration  of  expense,  is  an 
important  stipulation  as  regards  space,  for,  thrown 
upon  his  own  resources,  a  small  calabash  of  poi 
(a  yellow  paste,  made  from  the  taro  root)  is  an  en- 
during provision ;  but,  if  he  is  to  draw  his  supplies 
from  his  employer,  there  is  no  end  to  a  kanaka's 
voracity.  The  next  step  was  the  stowage  of  our 
luggage  in  novel  traveling  trunks,  admirably 
adapted   to   the    purpose.     Every   kanaka  had  a 


GOURD  TRUNKS.  1G3 

Strong  pole,  about  six  feet  in  length,  which  rested 
upon  his  shoulder,  a«nd,  from  each  end  of  this  pole, 
suspended  in  a  twilJ%net,  was  an  enormous  cala- 
bash, of  the  capacity  of  a  bushel ;  the  opening  in 
the  top  of  the  calabash  being  covered  by  the  sec- 
tion of  another,  which  fitted  completely  over  it. 
It  was  surprising  to  see  what  a  number  of  articles 
could  be  stowed  in  one  of  these  vessels.  Mine 
were  not  filled  (the  two)  by  three  shirts,  two  pairs 
of  stockings,  two  blankets,  one  great  coat,  one  pair 
of  cloth  pantaloons,  two^ir  of  shoes,  toilet  arti- 
cles, towels,  patent  liquor  flasks,  several  books,  &c. 
These  gourd  trunks  are  exceedingly  light,  and  of 
course  completely  impervious  to  water.  During 
our  halts,  the  tops  served  very  well  for  dish-tubs 
and  wash-basins. 

Our  provision  being  stowed  in  several  of  these 
calabashes,  and  our  cooking  utensils  suspended  from 
one  of  the  poles,  by  nine  o'clock  on  a  bright  sunny 
morning,  arrayed  in  motley  costume,  we  were 
ready  for  our  march.  The  precision  of  uniforms 
had  given  place  to  a  mixed  garb  of  such  garments 
as  our  judgments  decided  to  be  appropriate  to  such 
an  expedition,  and  as  convenience  selected  from 
the'odds  and  ends  of  each  person's  wardrobe.  Our 
red-skinned  attendants  were  in  the  most  finished 


164  SHORE  iIND  SHIP. 

dress,  if  they  could  rejoice  in  a  cotton  shirt,  as  their 
■whole  vesture.  One  tall,  mild,  grave,  and  dignified 
looking  fellow,  who  had  fallen-to  my  lot,  was  for- 
tunate enough  to  have  a  long,  drab-colored  cloth 
surtout,  reaching  to  his  heels,  the  garment  of  some 
winter  clime,  which  chance  had  thrown  in  his  way, 
and  which  was  too  magnificent  in  his  eye,  to  be  won 
from  him  by  a  broiling  sun. 

The  first  five  miles  of  our  journey  was  in  view' 
of  the  ocean,  over  the  gi'een,  rolling,  and  gently 
ascending  slope  formin^this  side  of  the  island. 
After  a  long  and  wearisome  confinement  on  ship- 
board, the  feeling  of  treading  the  springing  earth, 
instead  of  the  unyielding  deck,  on  a  bright  morn- 
ing, surrounded  by  shrubs  and  flowers ;  the  feeling 
that  our  movements,  step,  and  time  were  at  our  own 
disposal,  produced  a  lightness  of  spirit,  and  sense 
of  enjoyment,  unknown  when  confined  to  the  mon- 
otony of  the  deck,  surrounded  by  the  rigging,  guns, 
and  tackle  of  the  ship,  and  hedged  in  by  all  the 
formalities  and  restrictions  of  that  most  artificial 
and  unnatural  organization,  a  man-of-war.  At  every 
little  distance  we  paused,  to  look  upon  the  varieties 
of  the  scene  presented  by  our  advance ;  to  survey  the 
pretty  Bay  and  village;  the  ocean  spreading  from 
these  to  the  distant  horizon  on  one  hand,  and  the 


1 


/- 


SHORE  AND  SHIP.  165 


green  plane  sloping  to  the  clouds  on  the  other ; 
whilst,  in  the  length  of  the  island,  before  and  be- 
hind us,  this  varying  landscape  was  lost  in  the 
mistiness  of  distance.  What  a  beautiful !  what  a 
magnificent  scene  !  were  the  frequent  exclamations 
of  enthusiasm. 

As  we  proceeded  in  this  manner,  we  were  not  a 
little  interested  in  observing  and  becoming  ac- 
quainted with  the  individualities  of  our  Indian 
companions.  One  was  remarked  for  his  wit  and 
humor,  though  only  intelligible  to  us  by  the  lan- 
guage of  expression;  a  second  for  his  gravity;  a 
third  for  his  grotesque  buffoonery;  another  for  his 
activity;  several  for  their  indolence — while  all  were 
good-natured,  obliging,  and  obedient.  It  was  a 
source  of  constant  wonder,  to  see  with  what  light 
and  easy  activity  they  stepped  and  ran  along  under 
the  heavy  burdens  resting  upon  their  shoulders.  A 
short  chunky,  round  faced,  smiling  man,  called  Koi- 
i-nu-hi,  was,  on  account  of  his  superior  intelligence 
and  air  of  integrity,  made  chief  of  his  companions. 
M^man,  the  grave  and  dignified  Koi-i-ni-kini,  stood 
only  second  to  him  in  our  good  graces. 
i  Wo  were, not  very  successful  in  catching  the  dis- 
tinctions of  their  similar  sounding  names.  With 
oho  active  merry  fellow,  having  particularly  long 


166  PORESt  PATH. 

and  slender  legs,  we  compromised  by  calling  him 
Pelicani,  which  his  name  somewhat  resembled;  and 
as  he  carried  our  vessel  of  water,  he  heard  his  name 
so  freqnently  called  in  conjunction  with  water,  that 
he  has  adopted  Pelicani-water  as  his  future  title. 
Our  names  were  equally  bungled  by  them ;  Ned,  be- 
came "Neg;"  one  of  our  party  was  familiarly  called 
"Hatchet,"  and  the  best  they  could  make  of  Doctor 
was  "Sowdow." 

Having  proceeded  five  miiles  over  the  pretty 
country  I  have  attempted  to  describe,  gradually 
leaving  the  sea-side  we  entered  a  dense  forest, 
through  the  whole  of  which  we  were  compelled  to 
walk  single  file,  in  a  narrow  footpath,  bounded  on 
either  side  by  an  impenetrable  thicket ;  its  borders 
matt-ed  with  fernfe  and  the  ginger  plant.  The  large 
spongy  roots  of  the  ferns  so  crossed  the  path  as  to 
make  it  a  miniature  corduroy  road,  with  just  inter- 
space enough  between  the  roots  for  the  foot,  and 
rendering  the  walking  laborious;  whilst  a  succes- 
sion of  deep  narrow  ravines,  their  bottoms  soft  with 
mud  and  water,  kept  us  continually  descending, 
wading,  and  ascending.  Whilst  passing  through 
this  wood,  being  shut  ofi"  from  every  breath  of  air, 
it  was  like  being  in  an  oven,  and  we  emerged  from 
the  five  toilsome  miles  of  its  breadth,  panting  with 


LAVA  PATH.  167 

heat,  and  our  clothes  soaked  in  perspiration.  We 
emerged  near  an  Indian  hamlet,  upon  a  green  hil- 
lock covered  with  a  cluster  of  cocoa-nut  and  paw- 
paw trees.  From  this  hillock  there  expanded  be- 
fore our  view  an  open,  grass-carpeted,  rolling 
country,  still  gently  ascending,  and  into  which  the 
wood  threw  fitting  points.  Our  road  was  along 
the  edge  of  this  wood.  Having  now  made  half  of 
our  first  day's  journey,  and  beginning  to  feel  the 
eflfects  of  our  exertions,  we  called  a  council  upon 
the  propriety  of  rest  and  refreshment.  Although 
the  general  inclination  was  in  favor  of  these  resto- 
rative measures,  after  sundry  theoretical  and  prac- 
tical opinions,  we  concluded  to  deny  ourselves  any 
such  indulgence  until  the  close  of  our  day's  journey. 
Notwithstanding  the  verdant  appearance  of  the 
country,  we  observed  that  it  presented  a  very  thin 
stratum  of  soil,  spread  over  hard,  black  lava,  which 
rose  in  many  places  above  the  surface,  in  ridges  or 
rolls,  where  one  wave  had  cooled  upon  the  top  of 
another.  All  covering  being  worn  from  the  path- 
way, it  presented  to  the  feet  an  unyielding  surface, 
like  rough  iron  castings,  bringing  a  great  strain 
upon  the  ankle  and  knee  joint.  As  the  day  ad- 
vanced, the  journey  became  painfully  toilsome; 
miles  seemed  drawn  out  to  three  and  four  times  their 


168  THE  HALF-WAY  HOUSE. 

length ;  and  6ach  Indian  hut  that  appeared  in  the 
distance  we  hoped  might  prove  the  anxiously  looked- 
for  "school-house,"  at  which,  being  half  way,  we 
were  promised  an  end  to  our  day's  labor,  and  rest 
for  the  night. 

During  the  latter  part  of  this  day  we  passed 
groups  of  natives  awaiting  us  by  the  road  side,  and 
offering  for  sale  goats  milk,  chickens,  sweet  and 
Irish  potatoes,  and  bananas,  of  which  we  bought 
as  much  as  the  enduring  kanakas  could  carry,  in 
addition  to  the  ample  supply  of  provision  with 
which  they  were  already  loaded. 

At  length,  with  almost  the  joy  of  a  tempest-tost 
sailor,  who  sees  a  snug  harbor  within  reach,  we 
learned  that  the  "school-house"  was  indubitably 
in  sight.  The  light-hearted  merriment  of  the 
morning  had  disappeared  under  physical  exhaus- 
tion, and  slowly,  silently,  and  singly  each  one  drag- 
ged himself  along;  and,  as  he  reached  the  hut, 
sank  wearied  and  exhausted  upon  the  ground. 

The  necessities  of  our  case,  and  the  law  of  usage, 
justified  us  in  taking  entire  possession  of  the  school- 
house.  It  was  a  long  hut,  constructed  of  thatch, 
having  an  earthen  floor,  carpeted  with  fern  leaves 
and  grass.  On  one  side  was  a  pulpit,  or  reading- 
desk.     The  presiding  genius  of  the  place  was  a 


THE  HALF-WAY  HOUSE.  169 

Stumpy  little  kanaka,  called  Hiram,  the  teacher, 
who  dwelt  in  a  hut  near  by,  with  a  good-natured 
fat  little  wife,  who  paid  her  respects  to  us,  wrapped 
in  a  loose  blue  calico  gown.  Hiram  gloried  in  a 
pair  of  flaming  scarlet  plaid  breeches;  and  both 
seemed  rejoiced  to  see  us. 

In  locating  this  school-house  just  half  way  be- 
tween Hilo  and  the  volcano,  regard  has  been  had 
to  the  convenience  of  travelers,  and  to  the  interest 
of  the  teacher;  for,  although  no  regular  charge  is 
made,  something  is  generally  presented  for  the  ac- 
commodation; and  selfish  and  unsympathizing  must 
the  heart  be  which  does  not  cheerfully  offer  some 
tribute  to  the  kind  and  good-tempered  little  couple, 
who,  but  the  other  day  in  savage  ignorance  them- 
selves, are  now  the  interesting  pioneers  of  civiliza- 
tion among  a  wild  people  in  a  wild  country ;  and 
although  we  may  smile  at  the  simple  pride  with 
which  they  caricature  our  costume,  it  is  gratifying 
to  see  their  example  extending  this  symbol  of  civil- 
ization and  refinement. 

The  Indians  know  nothing  of  our  mode  of  cook- 
ing and  eating  ^  and,  therefore,  tired  as  we  were, 
there  was  still  before  us  the  labor  of  preparing  the 
meal  which  our  appetites  and  condition  earnestly 
demanded.  Fortunately,  the  young  gentleman 
15 


170  LOMI-LOMI-ING. 

who  had  charge  of  the  provision  department  was . 
of  active  and  enduring  temperament,  one  who,  in* Jt 
the  spirit  of  enterprise,  and  the  enthusiastic  study 
of  natural  history,  had  already  crossed  the  Rocky 
-Mountains, 

He  converted  the  pulpit  into  a  pantry,  and, 
taking  his  seat  there,  surrounded  by  the  provision 
calabashes,  spread  their  contents  around,  and  direct- 
ed the  preparation  of  our  supper. 
,  Notwithstanding  the  weight  they  had  carried, 
the  kanakas  came  in  scarcely  showing  fatigue ;  and 
seeing  our  forlorn  condition,  each  one  seated  him- 
self by  his  master,  and  commenced  lomi-lomi-ing, 
that  is,  in  the  Turkish,  and  not  the  barber  sense 
of  the  word,  shampooning  him.*  They  gently 
rubbed,  beat,  and  pressed  our  limbs ;  kneading  us 
like  so  many  masses  of  dough.  The  sensations 
caused  by  this  process  were  most  agreeable ;  fatigue, 
pain,  and  stiffness  passed  away,  and  in  a  little 
time  we  were  moving  about  with  restored  flexibility, 
and  each  one  making  himself  useful ;  attending  the 

•  The  little  fatigue  of  the  natives  compared  with  that  suffered 
by  us  was,  of  course,  chiefly  owing  to  the  difference  of  our  habits ; 
but  setting  aside  any  comparison  with  us,  their  powers  of  endurance 
were  very  great;  and  it  may  be  worth  noticing  that  none  of  these 
men  used  stimulating  drinks  of  any  kind;  although,  to  a  most  limited 
extent,  we  did  use  them  upon  this  occasion. 


THE  LU-AU.  171 

fire,  which  had  been  built  under  a  shed  projecting 
from  the  front  of  the  house ;  preparing  chickens 
and  bananas  for  frying,  peeling  and  slicing  onions, 
washing  potatoes,  and  making  coffee.  The  sump- 
tuous meal,  for  which  our  labors  had  earned  the 
sauce,  and  which  our  hands  had  prepared,  was 
spread  upon  one  of  the  school  benches,  broad, 
green  taro  leaves  being  substituted  for  plates. 
We  supped  with  an  enjoyment  unknown  at  the 
elaborately  prepared  feasts  of  Epicureans. 

About  dark,  some  neighboring  natives  brought 
us  a  middle-sized  hog  for  sale,  which  we  bought 
for  three  dollars,  determining  to  prepare  a  lu-au, 
the  native  dish.  Having  butchered  our  hog,  and, 
as  the  readiest  mode  of  separating  the  bristles, 
skinned  him,  the  hams  and  shoulders  were  delivered 
to  the  natives  to  be  luaued.  Having  surrounded 
the  meat  with  taro  roots,  potatoes,  and  a  mass  of 
taro  leaves,  the  whole  was  enveloped  in  taro  leaves, 
and  deposited  for  the  night  in  an  oven  of  heated 
stones.  This  arrangement  completed  our  domestic 
culinary  operations  for  the  daj ;  and,  gathering 
fresh  fern  leaves  for  our  pillows,  wrapping  our- 
selves in  our  blankets,  we  grouped  together  in  the 
back  part  of  the  hut  for  our  night's  repose,  leaving 
the  front  part  to  the  Indians;  and  the  hard  earthy 


172  SACRED  BERRIES. 

bed  proved  no  impediment  to  the  well-earned  sleep 
of  our  first  day's  journey.  During  the  night  a  heavy 
rain  came  on,  and  making  its  way  through  the 
thatch,  caused  some  little  commotion  among  us ; 
but  our  sleep  was  too  deep  to  allow  this  to  be  any 
serious  inconvenience. 

Early  in  the  morning  we  were  again  astir,  and 
having  prepared  for  our  breakfast  a  similar  meal 
to  that  of  the  preceding  night,  by  eight  o'clock  we 
were  all  packed  and  again  under  way.  The  lu-au 
was  cooked  in  the  most  delicious  and  cleanly  man- 
ner, but  we  concluded  not  to  remove  its  leafy  en- 
velops until  our  arrival  at  the  volcano. 

The  road  to-day,  for  the  first  ten  toiles,  was  very 
much  the  same  as  the  last  ten  of  the  preceding 
day,  but  rather  more  ascending.  We  passed  great 
quantities  of  a  large-sized,  yellowish-red,  whortle- 
berry, refreshing  and  pleasant  to  the  taste,  though 
rather  insipid.  These  berries  were  sacred  to  P^-1^, 
the  goddess  of  the  volcano  ;  and  during  the  domi- 
nation of  superstition,  it  was  the  custom  to  make 
an  oifering  of  them  to  her,  by  all  who  ventured  to 
approach  the  crater.  Many  fine  strawberry  vines, 
in  blossom,  skirted  the  road-side,  with  here  and 
there  a  few  half  ripe  berries. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  day  it  was  extremely 


ARRIVAL  AT  THE  VOLCANO.  173 

warm ;  and  as  the  day  advanced,  a  fine  drizzling  rain 
coming  on,  we  took  off  all  our  clothes,  to  our  shirts 
and  drawers,  and  stowed  them  in  the  calabashes. 
Thus  unincumbered,  we  walked  more  lightly,  ahd 
the  rain-driving  through  our  thin  garments,  caused 
a  refreshing  coolness.  A  very  serious  inconve- 
nience began  to  annoy  several  of  the  gentlemen, 
who,  not  having  been  sufficiently  careful  in  the  fit 
of  their  shoes,  had  their  feet  painfully  abraded ;  so 
much  so,  as  to  be  compelled  to  remove  their  shoes, 
and  to  walk  bare-footed,  ten  miles  of  the  route 
being  over  rough  gravel  and  sharp  volcanic  sand. 
This  sand  was  exceedingly  annoying  to  those  who 
could  wear  their  shoes,  by  getting  into  them  from 
the  many  puddles  of  mud  through  which  we  were 
compelled  to  wade.  It  was  a  painful  day's  work, 
and  as  evening  drew  on,  it  became  quite  chilly. 
Exhausted  by  fatigue,  and  with  drenched  clothes, 
the  driving  drizzling  rain  lost  its  agreeable  sensa- 
tion, and  caused  us  to  shiver  and  our  teeth  to  chat- 
tor  with  cold.  The  country  about  us  became 
murky,  wild,  and  gloomy,  and  as  we  emerged  from 
a  bush-grown  mud-puddle  through  which  we  had 
been  wading,  indications  of  the  neighborhood  of  the 
volcano  began  to  be  visible ;  clouds  of  steam  were 
issuing  from  numerous  crevices,  and  sweeping  in 
15* 


174  ARRIVAL  AT  THE  VOLCANO. 

fleecy  vapor  before  the  wind  across  the  direction 
of  our  path.  A  short  distance  through  this  steam- 
ing region  brought  us  to  a  group  of  huts,  and  we 
stood  then  upon  the  edge  of  the  great  crater  of 
Kilouea. 

Cold,  wet,  hungry,  and  tired,  Our  physical  con- 
dition prevented  a  proper  appreciation  of  the  sub- 
lime and  picturesque,  and,  therefore,  we  deter- 
mined not  to  look  upon  the  grand  scene  until  we 
were  in  a  better  condition  to  feel  its  full  impression ; 
and  we  hurried  into  a  newly-built  thatched  hut, 
appropriated  to  the  accommodation  of  visitors* 
It  was  so  small  as  barely  to  accommodate  our 
party,  excluding  the  kanakas.  On  one  side,  a 
raised  platform,  extending  the  whole  length  of  the 
hut,  and  covered  with  mats,  formed  a  good  sleep- 
ing place.  Rude  as  was  the  establishment,  to  us 
it  was  the  luxury  of  a  palace. 
-  A  fire  soon  blazed  before  the  door  under  a  pro- 
jecting shed-roof;  our  wet  garments  being  changed 
for  dry  ones,  brought  from  the  secure  interior  of 
the  calabashes;  and  a  sip  of  grog  taken  medicinally 
by  all  of  us  white  men ;  wrapped  in  our  blankets, 
we  were  soon  in  a  comfortable  state  to  pay  some 
attention  to  the  great  wonder  yawning  before-  the 
door,  and  upon  whose  brink  we  stood. 


VIEW  Of  THE  VOLCANO.  175 

The  first,  and,  indeed)  continued  impression,  is 
of  solemn,  awful,  and  gloomy  grandeur,  which,  in 
our  case,  derived  force  from  the  sombre  weather 
and  mists  in  which  the  region  was  enveloped.  An 
awful  abyss,  which  seemed  to  have  engulfed  the 
whole  region,  with  lofty,  rugged,  sulphurous  walls 
lining  their  barren  edges  against  the  sky,  and  shut- 
ting out  all  beyond,  in  itself  presented  a  shudder- 
ing idea  of  desolation,  swallowing  up,  and  final 
destruction.  But  the  dread  grandeur  of  the  scene 
was  increased  by  the  clouds  of  steam,  smoke,  and 
fumes  of  sulphur,  issuing  from  the  immense  sulphur 
bank  around  this  grand,  earthquake-shattered  en- 
closure, and  rising  from  openings  and  crevices  in 
its  deeply  sunken  bottom. 

From  its  lowest  depth,  at  the  remote  extremity 
opposite  to  where  we  stood,  a  pillar  of  smoke  arose 
and  expanded  into  a  dark  cloud  over  a  lake  of  lava — • 

"  A  fiery  deluge,  fed 
With  ever-burning  sulphur,  unoonsumed." 

The  tremendous  earth-rending  forces  at  work,  their 
action  going  on  before  our  eyes,  and  yet  their 
sources  buried  "ten  thousand  fathoms  deep"  in 
appalling  mystery,  unreached,  and,  perhaps,  un- 
reachable by  science,  philosophy,  or  conjecture, 
overwhelm  with  awe  the  spectator  of  this 


176  VIEW  OF  THE  VOLCANO. 

"  Dismal  situation,  vast  and  wild ; 
A  dungeon  horrible,  on  all  sides  round 
As  one  great  furnace." 

•  Standing  on  the  brink  of  the  crater,  the  eye 
surveys  its  general  depth;  but,  on  the  side  near  us, 
the  walls  are  not  in  their  whole  depth  directly  pre- 
cipitous, but  are  broken  into  shelves,  which  appear 
to  have  sunken  at  widely  different  intervals,  and 
are  so  distant,  the  one  above  the  other,  that  the  one 
immediately  below  the  spectator  conceals  from  view 
those  beneath  it.  These  shelves  are  broken  by 
chasms  and  crevices  of  invisible  depth.  The  side 
of  the  crater  opposite  to  us  being  that  toward  which 
the  wind  uniformly  bore  all  the  mineral  fumes  of 
this  great  furnace,  was  wild,  barren,  and  destitute 
of  all  vegetation ;  but  that  on  which  we  stood,  being 
free  from  such  deleterious  influences,  presented  a 
very  different  appearance.  The  sunken  shelves 
beneath  us  were  quite  thickly  coated  with  a  fertile 
soil,  from  which  grew,  in  wild  profusion,  trees, 
shrubs,  vines,  and  flowers,  offering  an  agreeable 
contrast  to  the  Beelzebub  region  opposite. 

This  general  survey  was  all  that  we  could  make 
before  night  closed  around  the  scene;  and  then 
new  features  of  interest  attracted  our  attention, 
as  we  sat  around  the   fire  in  front   of  our  hut. 


NIGHT  VIEW.  177 

Instead  of  the  smoke  which  was  seen  hovering  over 
the  burning  lake  during  the  day,  its  surface  was 
brilliantly  illuminated,  casting  a  bright  reflection 
upon  the  clouds  above.  The  fires  which  arose  from 
the  lava  waves  appeared  like  myriads  of  torches 
borne  by  a  moving  multitude,  gliding  by  and  ming- 
ling with  each  other;  at  one  time  dark  lanes,  circles, 
or  spots,  would  be  seen  among  the  lights,  and  the 
next  minute  the  moving  fires  would  overspread  these 
dark  places.  Besides  these  numerous  torch-like 
illuminations,  masses  of  flame  of  large  volume, 
apparently  twenty  feet  in  circumference,  were 
spouting  up  from  the  surface  of  the  lake  and  around 
its  circumference. 

Native  superstition  scarcely  needed  an  illusion 
of  the  imagination  to  make  this  the  appropriate 
dwelling-place  for  the  "King  of  steam  and  vapor" 
— the  "Explosion  in  the  palace  of  life" — the  "Reign 
of  night"  —  the  "Thundering  god"  —  the  "Fire- 
hurling  child  of  war" — the  "Fiery-eyed  canoe- 
breaker'  ' — and  the  "  Heaven-dwelling  cloud-holder' ' 
— gods  to  whom  it  had  assigned  this  habitation. 

Having  slept  our  first  night  upon  the  edge  of 
the  crater,  we  arose  early  on  the  following  morning, 
refreshed  and  ready  for  the  explorations  of  the 
day.     The  ground  all  about  us,  with  steam  issuing 


178  DANGEROUS  GROUND. 

from  all  parts  of  its  surface,  had  a  very  unstable 
and  unsatisfactory  look.  Seeing  a  small  hollow  in 
the  ground  before  our  door,  filled  with  dried  leaves, 
I  thought  it  would  be  a  good  place  for  our  fire,  but 
upon  removing  the  leaves  vapor  came  steaming  up, 
as  though  I  had  uncovered  a  boiling  pot.  In  such 
a  suspicious  place,  our  feelings  of  confidence  and 
security  were  derived  from  the  knowledge  that 
things  had  held  on  in  this  boiling,  burning,  and 
consuming  condition  for  an  unknown  period;  but, 
nevertheless,  it  is  manifest,  uncomfortably  so  to 
those  on  the  spot,  that  at  some  period — and  it  may 
be  at  any  moment — this  portion  of  earth  will  anti- 
cipate the  general  conflagration,  unless  this  event 
fulfils  Father  Miller's  prophecy  by  a  speedy  occur- 
rence. Before  breakfast  we  made  a  visit  to  a  sul- 
phur bank,  a  little  to  the  right  of  our  dwelling- 
place.  Descending  about  thirty  feet  to  the  first 
sunken  ledge,  and  following  this  along  through  a 
thicket  of  whortle-berry  bushes,  we  arrived  at  the 
bank.  It  was  a  hot,  smoking  mass  of  mixed  yel- 
low, white,  and  red,  the  yellow  portion  being  shin- 
ing, beautifully  crystallized  sulphur;  the  white,  a 
mineral  pulverulent  deposit;  the  red  color  was 
derived  from  a  soft,  muddy  mass,  which  seemed  to 
be   formed   by  the    action   of  acids   upon    earth. 


DESCENT  TO  THE  CRATER.  179 

Steam  was  rushing  with  considerable  force  from 
crevices  in  the  bank,  while  a  heavy,  roaring  sound 
could  be  heard  deep  beneath.  Some  pretty  speci- 
mens of  crystallized  sulphur  were  gathered;  they 
were  hot  and  soft,  but  hardened  upon  cooling. 
Immediately  after  breakfast  we  packed  up  some 
provisions  in  a  calabash,  and,  leaving  our  hut  and 
goods  in  charge  of  the  trusty  Kai-ni-ki-ni,  we  pro- 
ceeded to  descend  and  spend  the  day  in  the  depths 
of  the  crater.  Expecting  to  collect  specimens  of 
lava,  we  took  the  Indians  and  their  empty  cala- 
bashes with  us,  Ki-a-nu-hi  being  our  guide.  These 
men,  being  barefoot,  prepared  sandals,  by  matting 
together  leaves  of  the  ti  plant,  which  had  been 
dried,  and  then  softened  by  soaking.  Being  re- 
tained to  the  feet  by  loops  passing  over  the  toes, 
they  effectually  protected  the  feet  from  the  heat 
and  sharp  points  of  lava ;  but,  to  those  unaccus- 
tomed to  their  use,  they  would  evidently  have  been 
a  galling  and  painful  substitute  for  shoes.  De- 
scending to  the  first  ledge,  we  pursued  this  for  some 
distance  to  the  left — a  very  pretty  walk  amid  shrubs 
and  flowers,  overhanging  wild  chasms  and  steep 
precipices.  From  this  ledge  we  descended  along 
its  perpendicular  face  by  a  precipitous  path,  about 
one  hundred  feet  to  the  next.    The  path  was  formed 


180  BLACK  LEDGE. 

by  steps,  Vorn  in  a  heavy  earthen  soil,  and  was  so 
abrupt  that  the  individual  behind  appeared  over 
the  head  of  him  who  was  immediately  before.  There 
■was  nothing  dangerous  in  the  descent,  and  the 
kanakas  passed  down  rapidly  and  with  great  facility 
laden  with  their  poles  and  calabashes.  From  the 
level  we  had  now  reached,  the  view  above  us  was 
very  imposing.  The  lofty  walls  of  the  crater, 
where  they  were  rocky,  presented  perpendicular 
and  almost  smooth  surfaces,  jutting  out  at  regular 
intervals,  like  gigantic  abutments.  The  bottom  of 
the  crater  was  yet  far  below  us;  and,  by  a  descent 
less  precipitous  than  the  last,  we  reached  another 
soil-covered,  and  shrub-grown  shelf.  Walking  for 
some  distance  along  this,  we  came  to  a  narrow, 
rapidly-descending  spur,  along  the  sharp  edge  of 
which  we  reached,  after  a  long  descent,  the  black 
ledge — the  bottom  of  the  crater.  This  ledge  spread 
out  before  us  like  a  frozen  black  ocean,  split  into 
large  flakes.  In  some  places  these  flakes,  having 
been  pressed  against  each  other,  rose  in  ridges;  in 
other  places  they  were,  by  a  similar  force,  over- 
lapped, and  piled  one  above  another,  in  irregular 
heaps.  Our  way  to  the  burning  lake  was,  for  a 
mile  and  a  half,  over  this  sea  of  hardened  lava. 


BLACK  LEDGE.  181 

and  by  crevices  and  openings,  from  which  were 
gushing  smoke  and  steam. 

At  jfirst,  the  surface  upon  which  we  trod  had 
more  than  the  brilliant  iridescence  of  anthracite 
coal,  and  was  of  a  friable,  crystalline  character, 
crisping  under  the  feet  like  dry  snow.  Farther  on, 
it  had  the  hardness  and  appearance  of  cast  iron, 
which  had  cooled  in  irregular  plates.  In  some 
places  the  black  mass  was  rolled  in  immense  wave?, 
one  over  the  other.  The  whole  gave  to  the  foot- 
steps a  startlingly  hollow  sound,  but  there  seemed 
to  be  a  more  solid,  rocky  mass  beneath,  with  five 
or  six  inches  of  space  between  them.  Some  places 
were  encountered,  over  which  we  were  obliged  to 
hurry,  the  heat  being  painful  to  the  feet,  and  the 
atmosphere  stifling  with  heated  emanations  from 
the  gaping  crevices.  At  length  we  reached  the 
brink  of  a  broad  and  deep  rent,  winding  like  the 
channel  of  a  river.  The  walls  of  this  chasm  were 
of  a  red  stone,  and  the  forces  which  had  torn  them 
asunder,  had  severed  the  material  into  sharp  frag- 
ments, of  varying  size,  piled  in  threatening  insta- 
bility, resting  upon  sharp  edges  and  angles,  one 
above  another,  and  looking  as  though  the  slight- 
est displacement  of  an  inferior  fragment  would 
bring  the  whole  mass  thundering  down.  Hard- 
16 


182  THE  BURNING  LAKE. 

ened,  black  lava  occupied  the  bottom  of  this  ravine, 
looking  from  the  top  like  a  river  of  pitch.  De- 
scending, and  ascending,  the  fragmentary  sides  of 
this  chasm  were,  apparently,  the  most  dangerous 
portions  of  our  route;  having,  however,  crossed  it 
safely,  and  ascended  the  opposite  bank,  we  still 
had  some  distance  to  go,  over  scoria  and  lava,  be- 
fore we  stood  upon  the  edge  of  the  burning  lake. 

The  wind  blowing  from  us,  we  were  enabled  to 
stand  upon  the  very  brink  of  this  boiling  cauldron, 
whose  capacity  is  measured  by  miles.  The  fluid  of 
the  lake  was  ten  or  fifteen  feet  below  where  we 
stood,  and  was  in  constant  motion — thick,  sluggish 
waves,  of  the  dull,  gray,  filmy  appearance  of  melt- 
ed lead,  were  slowly  rolling  over  each  other,  with 
a  steady  motion  toward  the  side  on  which  we  stood. 
The  flickering  of  heat  appeared  over  the  whole  sur- 
face, and  here  and  there,  columns  of  red-hot  lava, 
looking  like  masses  of  blood,  were  spouted  up  with 
a  convulsive  jerk,  and  near  the  edge,  threw  their 
heated  liquid  upon  the  edge  of  the  bank. 

Having  consumed  all  the  time  at  our  disposal, 
in  the  near  contemplation  of  this  phenomenon,  we 
commenced  our  return;  and  when  suflBciently  remote 
from  the  lake  to  feel  comfortable,  we  seated  our- 


ALARM.  183 

selves  upon  the  heated  surface  of  the  black  ledge, 
and  took  our  mid-day  meal  in  the  crater. 

Late  in  the  afternoon,  after  a  very  fatiguing 
day's  occupation,  during  which  we  had  been  com- 
pelled to  rest  many  times,  "we  were  again  enjoying 
the  comforts  of  our  hut;  appreciated  the  more,  from 
the  day  being  closed  in  clouds  and  rain.  After 
night,  whilst  reclining  on  our  mat  bed,  talking  over 
the  events  of  our  expedition,  the  kanakas,  who  were 
assembled  under  the  shed  outside  the  door,  suddenly 
called  our  attention  to  some  occurrence  outside; 
and  it  was  with  an  impression  of  horror,  that  we 
saw  a  brilliant  light  which  had  burst  forth  from 
the  foot  of  the  hill  upon  which  we  then  were.  The 
appalling  character  of  such  an  appearance,  on  that 
dark  night,  arose  from  the  entire  ignorance  of  what 
it  might  indicate,  and  our  inability  to  take  any 
measures  of  security,  no  matter  what  might  occur. 
We  knew  that  we  were  standing  over  fiery  caverns, 
and  roaring  furnaces;  but  what  their  extent, 
changes,  and  relations,  could  not  be  imagined. 
The  present  appearance  was  nearer  to  us,  by  sev- 
eral miles,  than  anything  similar  we  had  seen  dur- 
ing the  day.  It  might  be  no  more  than  a  frequent- 
ly occurring  outbreak,  through  an  existing  open- 
ing; it  might  be  a  slight,  new  outbreak  of  no  im- 


184  HAIR  OF  PE-LE. 

portance;  and  yet  it  might  be  a  change  which 
would  sink  the  whole  of  the  region  upon  which  we 
then  were,  and  perhaps  for  miles  around.  We 
could  do  nothing  but  passively  wait  the  result. 
Things  remained  quiescent ;  the  unpleasant  start- 
ling soon  subsided;  we  became  indijBFerent  to  the 
whole  affair ;  and  the  most  comfortable  night's  rest 
we  enjoyed,  since  leaving  the  ship,  was  the  last, 
spent  upon  the  edge  of  Kilouea — amid  its  clouds, 
smoke,  and  fires. 

After  breakfast  on  the  following  morning  we 
started  on  our  return,  having  filled  all  the  empty 
calabashes  with  specimens  of  lava,  scoriae,  and  crys- 
tallized sulphur.  The  most  curious  of  the  volca- 
nic products  is  the  hair  of  the  Goddess  P^-1^ — a 
filamentous  or  capillary  lava,  found  only  to  the  lee- 
ward of  the  crater.  It  is  spun  by  the  wind  into 
fine,  transparent,  flexible,  flaxen  filaments,  a  kind 
of  spun  glass,  having  a  close  resemblance  to  hair. 
We  ravished  freely  these  tresses  of  the  goddess. 

Those  of  our  party  who  had  felt  the  fatigue  most, 
and  who,  from  their  disabled  and  wounded  feet, 
were  compelled  to  walk  barefoot,  suifered  dread- 
fully before  reaching  the  school-house  on  our  re- 
turn ;  and,  but  for  the  encouragement  of  those  in 
better  strength  and  spirits,  they  would  have  aban- 


NATIVE  FAMILY  WORSHIP.  185 

doned  the  idea  of  accomplishing  this  day's  journey, 
and  have  lain  by  on  the  road. 

Upon  our  arrival  at  the  school-house  we  found 
quite  a  company  of  natives  assembled,  who  had 
been  expecting  us,  and  who  offered  for  sale  food, 
and  such  articles  as  they  supposed  we  might  need. 
As  soon  as  we  threw  ourselves  upon  the  ground, 
they  began,  male  and  female,  with  characteristic 
good  nature,  to  relieve  us  by  the  lomi-lomi,  two  of 
them  seizing  each  of  us. 

In  addition  to  the  wonderful  scenes  of  nature 
which  this  expedition  had  afforded  us  an  opportu- 
nity of  beholding,  it  made  us  acquainted  with  some 
traits  of  the  native  character,  and  presented  a  won- 
derful illustration  of  the  good  effects  of  even  a  low 
degree  of  civilization.  Early  in  the  morning  on 
which  we  left  J^^ilouea,  hearing  the  monotonous  tones 
of  a  human  voice  under  the  window  of  the  hut,  near 
which  I  had  been  sleeping,  upon  looking  out  I  saw 
Kianuhi,  our  native  captain,  upon  his  knees,  earn- 
estly engaged  in  prayer,  his  countenance  wearing 
the  expression  of  fervent  devotion.  During  the 
last  night  of  our  stay  at  the  school-house,  whilst  we 
were  lying  about  the  floor,  the  only  light  of  the 
apartment  being  a  candle  in  a  hatchet,  sticking  in 
one  of  the  posts,  the  natives  wanting  some  occu- 
16* 


186  NATIVE  FAMILY  WORSHIP. 

pation,  produced  several  books  from  the  desk, 
printed  in  their  own  language.  They  were  hymn- 
books,  with  the  notes  of  the  appropriate  music; 
and  several  of  the  Indians  gathering  about  the 
candle  favored  us  with  the  hymn  in  their  native 
language,  but  with  one  of  our  familiar  tunes. 

On  the  following  morning,  having  arisen  earlier 
than  my  companions,  I  directed  one  of  the  Indians 
to  make  up  the  fire,  and  in  the  mean  time  I  strolled 
off  to  walk  among  some  of  the  neighboring  huts. 
From  one  of  them  I  heard  the  continued  utterance 
of  monotonous  sounds;  and  upon  looking  in  at  the 
door,  I  saw  a  man,  I  presume  the  head  of  the  fa- 
mily, kneeling  on  a  mat  in  the  corner,  praying 
aloud,  whilst  the  various  members  of  the  family, 
old  and  young,  knelt  in  a  row  near  him.  The  only 
words  which  I  could  understand  were  "Ehovah," 
and  "  Lund,"  the  former  word,  of  course,  given  them 
from  our  language,  and  the  latter  from  their  own, 
signifying  above.  What  a  scene !  and  what  words 
from  the  hut  of  a  native,  on  the  wild  volcanic  moun- 
tains of  Hawaii!  among  a  people  the  last  born  of 
civilized  discovery,  many  of  whom,  Christians  of 
no  more  than  adult  years,  bear  on  their  persons  the 
marks  of  barbarian  customs.  As  a  careless  member 
of  a  community  to  which  Christianity  was  a  bixth- 


'A, 


HONEST  INDIANS.  187 

right  trust,  I  felt  rebuked.  Never,  in  the  "  dim  re- 
ligious light,"  and  amid  the  solemn  paraphernalia  of 
Art's  sacred  temples,  did  I  feel  such  an  impulse  to 
devotion,  and  involuntarily  my  own  spirit  of  adora- 
tion was  borne  along  with  that  of  these  humble 
worshipers. 

The  eflFect  of  religious  instruction  was  apparent, 
not  only  in  ceremonies,  but  in  the  practice  duties 
of  life.  Having  committed  our  various  articles  to 
the  natives,  and  to  them  many  of  these  articles  had 
the  value  of  jewels,  we  had  no  further  care  over 
them.  Each  kanaka  made  himself  acquainted  with 
every  article  committed  to  his  calabash,  and,  at  a 
sign  would  produce  it,  being  very  careful  to  restore 
it  again  to  its  place.  A  stray  button  was  found  by 
one,  and  he  carried  it  to  all,  seeking  an  owner,  and 
I  was  informed  that  a  native  has  been  known  to 
walk  twelve  miles  to  restore  a  small  piece  of  money 
dropped  by  a  traveler.  Yet,  a  few  years  ago,  these 
people  thought  thieving  a  virtue! 

Such  gratifying  changes  have  been  effected  by 
no  national  effort,  but  by  the  devoted  and  sacrific- 
ing labors  of  a  few  principled  missionaries,  who 
have  labored  amidst  obstacles  thrown  in  their  way 
by  those  whose  selfish  interests  depended  upon  the 
continuance  of  savage  ignorance  and  vices;  and 


188-  .       MISSIONARIES. 

even  many  of  those  who  had  no  interest  to  ad- 
vance, were  incapable  of  understanding  the  cha- 
racter and  motives  of  men  influenced  by  religious 
principle 

"  Where'er  the  foot  of  man  hath  trod," 


with 


"  Tongues  of  fire  and  hearts  of  love, 
To  preach  the  reconcihng  word ;" 


and  yet,  the  highest  crime  which  these  zealous  ene- 
mies can  charge  upon  the  missionaries,  is  the  enjoy- 
ment, in  a  few  instances,  of  the  ordinary  comforts 
of  life. 


:.«y» 


.^- 


HONOLULU.  189 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

Honolulu — The  Pali — Chiefs'   school — ^Tea    party — Traditionary 
historians — Dog  feast — Saturday  and  Sabbath. 

Two  weeks  terminated  our  stay  at  Hilo,  and  oa 
the  second  day  of  our  departure  from  it,  we  were 
at  anchor  in  the  outer  harbor  of  Honolulu,  in  the 
island  of  Oahu. 

Those  who  are  dwellers  in  the  storehouses  of 
civilization  and  luxury,  fixed  denizens  of  the  old 
countries,  may,  when  they  hear  of  a  wanderer 
amid  the  isles  of  the  Pacific,  associate  with  him 
imaginings  of  barbarism,  and  sympathize  with  his 
severance  from  the  artificial  refinements  of  life ; 
but  here  we  are  in  those  far  away  isles,  and  in  a 
delicious  climate,  amid  beautiful  scenery;  we  are 
also  in  a  handsome  town,  of  five  or  six  thousand 
inhabitants,  with  its  strong  and  comfortable  stone 
and  white  frame  Venetian-shuttered  houses,  ele- 
gantly and  luxuriously  furnished  ;  gardens  of  flow- 
ers, shrubs,  and  China  roses ;  its  churches,  hotels, 
shipping,  and  wharves;  palace,  king,  court,  cabinet, 


190  HONOLULU. 

and  regular  laws.  .  We  are  surrounded  by,  not 
only  natives,  but  Yankees  of  every  grade,  degree, 
and  profession ;  Englishmen,  Frenchmen,  Germans, 
Italians,  and  Chinamen.  In  large  and  well-filled 
stores  we  can  procure  whatever  we  want,  from  any 
part  of  the  world.  We  dine  at  luxuriant  tables, 
amid  refined  people,  and  spend  the  evenings  in 
handsome  drawing-rooms,  graced  by  pretty  women, 
and  enlivened  by  the  music  of  the  piano.  Hono- 
lulu is  by  far  the  most  agreeable  town  in  the 
Pacific  Ocean.  Honolulu  is  built  at  the  expanded 
mouth  of  a  funnel-shaped  and  beautiful  valley, 
which  descends  between  mountain  ranges,  gradually 
expanding  from  the  opposite  side  of  the  island. 
Much  of  the  town  still  consists  of  the  grass  or 
native  thatch  cottages,  and  exceedingly  comfort- 
able habitations  they  are.  At  the  time  of  our 
visit,  Honolulu  boasted  three  hotels;  one  French, 
one  Chinese,  and  one  American;  this  last,  kept  by 
two  citizens  of  the  United  States,  and  fitted  up 
with  billiard-tables,  bar-room,  and  the  usual  append- 
ages of  such  an  establishment.  The  Mansion  House, 
as  the  American  hotel  is  called,  spread  a  well-or- 
dered, well-cooked,  and  abundant  table.  Our  bill  of 
fare,  for  the  first  dinner  of  which  I  partook  in  this 
house,  was  boiled   turkey,  roast  ducks,  chickeiis. 


4. 


THE  PALI.  191 

pigs,  lobsters,  potatoes,  tomatoes,  cucumbers,  water-' 
melons,  and  canteleups. 

In  the  afternoon,  in  company  with  Mr.  Damon, 
the  seamen's  chaplain,  we  visited  several  of  the 
missionary  families,  and  went  over  the  printing 
offices,  engraving  establishments,  and  book  bindery. 
All  the  work  in  these  establishments  is  done  by 
the  natives. 

.  A  visit  was  also  paid  the  chiefs'  school,  an  in- 
stitution in  charge  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cooke,  of 
the  United  States,  for  the  purpose  of  educating 
the  children  of  the  Hawaiian  nobility  in  our  lan- 
guage and  literature.  The  pupils  were  at  this 
time  at  their  country  residence,  some  miles  up  the 
valley,  but  we  had  an  opportunity  of  going  through 
the  building,  and  of  inspecting  their  rooms ;  every- 
thing was  arranged  and  provided  in  the  most  com- 
fortable and  convenient  manner. 

The  most  imposing  of  the  wild  scenery  of  Oahu 
is  the  "pali,"  or  precipice.  It  has  been  stated 
that  the  town  of  Honolulu  stands  at  the  mouth  of  a 
valley ;  this  valley  crosses  the  island  from  south  to 
north,  between  mountain  walls  gradually  ascending, 
and  is  about  seven  miles  long.  It  is  a  beautiful  ride, 
and  on  either  side  are  scattered  along,  for  several 
miles,  the  cottage  residences  of  the  citizens  of  Hono- 


192  THE  PALI. 

'lulu.  Riding  alone  up  this  valley,  for  the  purpose 
of  visiting  the  pali,  I  found  myself  accompanied 
by  a  kanaka,  without  having  noticed  exactly  where 
he  joined  me.  Ride  fast  or  slow,  this  man  was  by 
my  side,  without  exchanging  a  word ;  but  I  readily 
understood  it  was  his  purpose,  as  is  the  custom  of 
these  people,  to  take  the  chance  of  rendering  me 
any  service,  and  earning  some  little  compensation. 
After  he  had  been  by  my  side  for  a  mile  or  two,  I 
handed  him  my  overcoat  to  carry,  as  an  evidence 
that  I  acknowledged  and  employed  him.  At  this 
recognition  his  countenance  brightened  up,  and  he 
was  prompt  to  render  me  every  attention.  It  is 
agreeable  to  notice  the  kindness  of  these  people  in 
their  intercourse  with  each  other,  and  one  of  its 
demonstrations  is  somewhat  amusing.  For  in- 
stance, two  of  them  meeting  on  the  road,  and  no 
time  to  lose,  one  having  a  pipe  or  cigar  in  his 
mouth,  the  other  takes  the  pipe  or  cigar  from  the 
mouth  of  its  owner,  gives  a  whiff  or  two,  returns 
it,  and  each  continues  his  way  without  uttering  a 
word ;  it  seems  to  be  an  understood  and  expected 
courtesy. 

Our  near  approach  to  the  termination  of  the 
valley  was  indicated  by  a  rush  of  wind,  against 
which  it  was  difficult  to  advance,  pouring  through 


DESCENT  OF  THE  PALI.  193 

a  narrow  alley  or  gorge  whict  forms  this  extremity 
of  the  valley.  Dismounting,  and  turning  into  this 
alley,  a  few  steps  to  the  right  brought  me  to  a 
door-like  opening  upon  the  edge  of  the  precipice, 
eleven  hundred  feet  deep,  and  overlooking  a  view 
at  once  beautiful  and  sublime ;  the  precipitous 
mountain  wall,  upon  whose  edge  I  stood,  swept 
away  to  the  right  and  left.  From  the  base  of  this 
wall  a  plain,  two  or  three  miles  in  breadth,  inter- 
spersed with  houses,  groves,  and  meadows,  expanded 
beneath  me,  and  met  the  sea  which  foamed  upon 
its  beach. 

Wishing  to  descend  to  the  plain,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  my  guide,  I  took  a  path  to  the  right,  which 
conducted  to  a  narrow  shelf  projecting  from  the 
precipice;  from  this  a  cautious  descent  was  made 
to  similar  shelves  lower  down ;  in  some  places  a 
small  platform  or  landing  would  be  reached,  and 
narrow  steps  conducted  on  both  sides  to  another 
platform ;  at  one  point  the  descent  is  along  the 
perpendicular  face  of  the  rock,  by  projections  just 
wide  enough  for  a  foothold,  but  an  iron  rod  is 
here  let  into  the  rock,  by  which  the  passenger  can 
sustain  himself.  On  the  way  down  I  met  several 
natives,  male  and  female,  ascending,  some  of  them 
laden  with  heavy  burdens.  By  the  time  I  had 
17 


194  chiefs'  school. 

reached  the  plain  I  was  quite  fatigued,  and  my 
shirt  wringing  with  perspiration.  Having  walked 
among  the  houses  of  the  natives  a  sufficient  time 
to  rest,  I  ascended  the  pali,  and  was  well  pleased 
to  find  my  horse  where  he  had  been  left,  as  there 
was  nothing  to  have  prevented  any  of  those  whom 
we  had  met  from  using  him  on  their  journey  down 
the  valley;  and  this  was  another,  added  to  the 
many  evidences  I  had  had  of  the  present  honesty 
of  the  natives. 

The  summer  school  and  residence  of  the  young 
chiefs  was  situated  on  this  valley,  about  half  way 
between  the  town  and  pali;  and  having  a  letter  of 
introduction  to  Mr.  Cooke,  the  superintendent,  I 
took  the  present  opportunity  of  visiting  the  insti- 
tution. It  is  a  frame  building  a  little  off  the  road, 
and  upon  reaching  it,  I  entered  a  large,  cool,  and 
airy  room,  in  which  was  seated  Mrs.  Cooke,  with  a 
book  in  her  hand,  with  two  of  the  young  ladies, 
and  several  of  the  lads,  receiving  her  instructions. 
The  pupils  were  attired  just  as  respectable  school 
boys  and  girls  would  be  in  our  own  country.  Mrs. 
Cooke  introduced  me  to  her  pupils.  The  young 
ladies  were  Jane  Leeau,*   and  Bernice   Pauahi, 

•  Whilst  writing  these  pages,  the  following  notice  appeared  in 
the  newspapers : — 


chiefs'  school.  195 

about  fifteen  or  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  the  latter 
exceedingly  beautiful,  with  fine  Grecian  features, 
and  an  animated"  expression  of  countenance.  The 
air  and  manner  of  her  courtesy,  and  a  slightly 
affected  dropping  of  the  eyelids  indicated,  I 
thought,  a  consciousness  of  her  personal  attrac- 
tions; and  I  subsequently  learned  that  gentlemen, 
forgetting  her  knowledge  of  the  English  language, 
would,  upon  being  first  introduced  to  her,  exclaim 
how  beautiful !  The  boys  were  Alexander  Liho- 
liho,  aged  ten  years,  adopted  by  the  king,  and 
heir  apparent  to  the  crown ;  Moses  Kehuairea, 
aged  fifteen,  governor  presumptive  of  the  island  of 
Kauai ;  Lot  Kamehameha,  governor  presumptive 
of  Maui.  These  three  boys  are  sons  of  the  present 
governor  of  Oahu,  and  derive  their  rank  from  their 
mother.  Victoria  Kamamalu  was  sent  for,  that  I 
might  see  her ;  she  was  aged  six  years,  and  heiress 
apparent  to  the  premiership.  She  is  of  the  same 
parentage  as  the  boys,  and  her  mother  was  formerly 
premier ;  her  mother  being  dead,  this  child  inherits 
her  rank,  upon  the  constitutional  provision  which 


MarrieJ,  at  the  Royal  School,  Honolulu,  September  2(1,  J,  R. 
Jasper,  Esq.,  of  Maryland,  United  States,  to  Jane  Leeau,  daughter 
o[  Kalamailuraaker,  and  adopted  by  Kaniiku  Alii. 


196  TRADITIONARY  HISTORIANS. 

permits  a  female  to  be  associated  in  the  sovereign 
power. 

After  the  return  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cooke  with 
their  school,  to  their  town  residence,  they  gave  us 
a  pleasant  evening  entertainment,  at  which  the 
young  chiefs,  male  and  female,  were  present.  They 
were  all  tastefully  attired,  the  young  ladies  wear- 
ing white  dresses,  and  their  only  ornament  being 
a  geranium  leaf  or  small  bouquet  in  the  waist  rib- 
bon. They  performed  on  the  piano,  and  sang  the 
familiar  songs  of  our  own  country.  I  recollect  the 
"Ingle  side,"  "Pensez  a  moi,"  and  "My  native 
land,"  were  among  the  number;  and  it  was  diflScult 
to  realize  that  the  scene  was  a  parlor  in  Honolulu, 
and  the  performers  Indians  of  the  Pacific  islands. 

Among  the  customs  of  barbaric  Hawaii,  was  that 
of  eating  dogs,  and  among  its  institutions  a  class 
of  men,  historians,  whose  business  it  was  to  hand 
down  the  traditions  and  events  of  the  nation.  It 
was  my  fortune  to  attend  a  feast  of  luaued  dog, 
and  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  these  traditionary 
historians  at  the  same  time. 

An  American  merchant  resident  in  Honolulu, 
had  married  the  daughter  of  a  chief,  whose  high 
official  function,  under  the  "ancient  regime,"  had 
been  that  of  traditionary  historian.      Their  resi- 


^ 

* 


DOG  FEAST.  197 

dence  was  a  neat  cottage,  some  miles  up  the  Nun- 
anu  valley,  and  I  had  the  honor  of  an  invitation 
from  this  gentleman  to  his  cottage,  to  attend  a 
feast  of  luaued  dog,  prepared  and  served  in  the 
native  manner,  under  the  direction  of  his  wife. 
The  old  chief,  the  father-in-law  of  our  host,  was 
present,  and  was  quite  a  striking  looking  old  man. 
With  a  head  of  more  intellectual  development  than 
most  of  his  people,  he  had  a  very  determined  and 
obstinate  expression  of  countenance,  and  became 
quite  animated  when  the  conversation  was  directed 
to  his  favorite  topic,  the  traditions  of  his  nation. 
He  is  one  of  the  few  who  sigh  after  the  days  of 
past  barbarism,  and  look  with  regret  upon  the  in- 
roads and  changes  of  civilization.  So  far  as  this 
individual  is  concerned,  such  feelings  may  readily 
be  accounted  for  and  excused,  by  the  necessary 
abolition  of  his  own  high  official  position  as  the  de- 
positary of  the  achievements  and  traditions  of  his 
people ;  a  loss  not  compensated  by  his  still  elevated 
station  of  a  high  chief. 

Our  repast  was  spread  upon  the  floor,  which  was 
well  covered  and  cushioned  with  fresh  green  leaves. 
A  pig  and  a  dog  were  both  served  up,  and  were  so 
arranged  that  neither  could  be  recognized  by  its 
external  appearance,  the  gueat  being  required  to 
17» 


I 


198  SATURDAY  AND  SUNDAY. 

take  their  chance  of  getting  pig  or  dog.  Those 
•who  tried  both,  determined  they  could  not  be  dis- 
tinguished by  flavor.  The  dog  used  for  food,  is  a 
small  animal,  destitute  of  hair,  and  is  fed  and  fat- 
tened upon  vegetable  food,  generally  sweet  potatoes, 
or  poi. 

Honolulu  has  quite  a  lively  and  cheerful  appear- 
ance on  Saturday ;  this  being  the  day  of  relaxation 
and  merry  making  among  the  natives,  who,  old  and 
young,  throng  the  streets  in  their  holiday  attire,  dis- 
playing the  gayest  and  brightest  colors  they  can 
procure.  On  Sunday  the  streets  are  deserted;  all 
pleasure  and  business  have  ceased;  no  vehicle  is 
seen  moving  upon  the  shore,  or  boat  upon  the 
waters.     It  is  a  national  Sabbath,  literally  kept. 


UNITED  STATES  AND  SANDWICH  ISLANDS.        199 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

United  States  and  Sandwich  Islands-— Missionary  influence — Ordet 
of  French  consul — Code  of  etiquette—- British  protest— 'Agitating 
influences — Diplomadc  troubles. 

When,  in  the  United  States,  we  hear  mention 
made  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  we  are  apt  to  think 
of  them  as  something  so  remote,  and  so  little  con* 
nected  with  our  interests,  as  to  scarcely  merit 
attention.  But  if  their  relations  to  our  immense 
whaling  and  other  commerce  in  the  Pacific  are 
considered,  and  the  movements  of  other  powers  in 
regard  to  them  are  observed,  these  Islands  may 
Beem  a  little  more  worthy  the  attention  of  our 
foreign  policy. 

This  little,  ocean-girt  kingdom  of  Hawaii,  new- 
born to  civilization,  presents  a  beautiful  illustration 
of  the  quiet,  diffusive  moral  force  of  our  country ; 
of  influences  which  are  becoming  of  more  efficient 
control  in  the  character  and  relations  of  nations, 
than  are  the  powers  of  military  strength. 

Although  having,  nominally,  no  political  connec* 


# 


200  MISSIONARY  INFLUENCE. 

tion  with  us,  these  Islands,  from  a  combination  of 
circumstances,  seem,  when  amongst  them,  almost 
as  one  of  our  own  States. 

Called  into  civilized  existence  under  the  guidance 
of  a  powerful  religious  society  of  the  United  States, 
by  the  commerce  and  mercantile  influence  of  this 
country,  their  new  existence  has  been  sustained 
and  made  prosperous. 

The  first  and  principal  circumstance  which  gave 
an  ascendency  to  the  citizens  and  interests  of  the 
United  States,  was  the  fact  that  the  native  inhabit- 
ants of  these  isles  were  brought  from  barbarism  to 
Christianity  by  American  missionaries  only.  These 
have  been  the  creators  of  the  Hawaiian  nation ; 
and  any  one  disposed  to  look  back  upon  its  bar- 
baric state,  its  wild  and  bloody  superstitions,  filthy 
usages,  disgusting  sensuality,  and  horrid  crimes 
pursued  as  virtues,  can  fully  appreciate  the  change 
which  has  brought  such  a  people  under  even  par- 
tial subjection  to  the  laws  of  order  and  virtue.  In 
much  association  with  the  people  I  never  saw  a 
drunken  native,  and  in  no  part  of  the  world  have 
I  seen  the  Sabbath  so  literally  kept. 

In  some  observations  on  these  Islands,  published 
by  a  Mr.  Wyllie,  a  native  of  Scotland,  and,  at  the 
time  of  my  visit,  Hawaiian  Secretary  of  State,  he 


MISSIONARY  INFLUENCE.  201 

says,  speaking  of  Honolulu :  "  There  are  few 
towns  of  the  same  extent  where  a  deep  religious  feel- 
ing more  prevails,  and  certainly  none  where  more 
decency  and  order  are  observed  on  the  Sabbath. 
Yet  all  this  exists  without  any  of  that  gloom  and 
ascetic  severity  which  existed  in  the  early  days  of 
presbyterianism  in  Scotland,  and  of  puritanism  in 
England  and  Connecticut. 

"  Another  virtue  eminently  pervades  the  society 
of  Honolulu,  and  that  is  temperance.  During 
eight  months  that  I  have  been  here,  I  have  not 
seen  one  native  intoxicated ;  and  what  will  excite 
surprise  in  Europe  and  in  America,  I  have  not 
seen  one  beggar." 

In  another  place,  Mr.  Wyllie  remarks:  "Both 
civilly  and  spiritually  the  benefits  conferred  by  the 
missionaries  are  incalculable.  The  experience  of 
these  benefits  has  given  them  an  influence,  and 
created  a  certain  bias  in  favor  of  the  country  which 
sent  them,  and  which  supports  them,  not  only 
legitimately  acquired,  but,  so  far  as  the  mission- 
aries are  concerned,  not  to  be  relaxed  without 
prejudice  to  the  progress  of  further  native  improve- 
ment. Go  ye  and  do  likewise,  may  be  said  to  all 
who  envy  that  influence,  cavil  at  their  doings,  or 
malign  their  motives." 


202         ORDER  OF  FRENCH  CONSUL. 

Another  cause  of  the  influence  of  our  country 
in  the  Islands  is  the  superiority  of  its  commerce. 
From  tables,  kept  by  a  gentleman  of  Honolulu,  it 
is  shown  that  during  twenty  years,  one  thousand 
three  hundred  and  seventy-seven  United  States 
vessels  visited  this  port ;  three  hundred  and  three 
British ;  and  twenty-seven  French.  The  estimates 
of  a  commercial  house  of  the  same  place  show,  that 
in  five  years  there  were  imported  nine  hundred  and 
thirty-five  thousand  dollars  of  United  States  pro- 
ducts, and  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  thousand 
six  hundred  dollars  of  British.  Of  five  hundred 
and  ninety-three  whaling  vessels  absent  from  the 
United  States  at  one  time,  three  hundred  and 
twenty-four  were  in  the  Pacific,  and  this  pursuit 
may  be  said  to  be  almost  exclusively  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  ships  and  seamen  of  the  United 
States. 

Whilst  we  have  such  preponderating  interests  in 
the  Pacific  Ocean,  many  of  its  important  islands 
are  falling  under  the  control  of  a  power,  which  has 
scarcely  any  interest  to  consult  but  that  of  mili- 
tary strength ;  and  in  1843  an  order  was  issued 
by  the  French  consul  at  Honolulu,  prohibiting  our 
whalers  from  anchoring  in  any  islands  where  the 
French  were  established,  except  in  ports  where 


CODE  OF  ETIQUETTE.  203 

the  French  actually  were,  unless  by  their  per- 
mission. 

These  French  establishments,  let  it  be  borne  in 
mind,  consist  of  two  of  the  most  important  groups 
of  the  Pacific  Ocean — the  Marquesas  and  Society 
groups. 

Of  the  vigilant  manner  in  which  Great  Britain 
guards  and  watches  her  position  in  these  islands, 
the  following  affords  a  striking  illustration. 

In  18^4,  the  Hawaiian  government  issued  a 
proclamation,  establishing  a  code  of  etiquette,  in 
which  the  following  order  of  precedure  was  as- 
signed the  representatives  of  their  respective  na- 
tions : — 

1.  United  States, 

2.  Great  Britain, 

3.  France. 

Although  some  such  arrangement  was  necessary 
in  80  jealous  a  community,  its  grave  formality  had 
rather  a  burlesque  air  ;  but  the  British  government 
has  imparted  dignity  to  it  by  the  following  pro- 
test ; — 

"  With  regard  to  the  code  of  etiquette  and  diplo- 
matic precedence,  promulgated  in  July,  1844,  her 
majesty's  government  regret  the  charge  or  act 
which  gives  a  fixed  and  permanent  preference  to 


204  BRITISH  PROTEST. 

the  United  States  over  Great  Britain,  upon  the 
plea  of  the  prior  recognition  of  the  Sandwich  Is- 
lands by  the  United  States,  and  require  that  this 
clause  be  forthwith  canceled. 

"Her  majesty's  government  further  declares,  that 
the  commissioner  of  the  United  States,  unless  he 
be  expressely  designated  in  his  commission  as 
charge  d'affaires,  is  entitled  to  no  precedence  what- 
ever over  the  British  Consul-General  at  the  Haw- 
aiian islands,  under  the  regulations  of  the  Congress 
of  Vienna,  whether  the  commissioner  be  entitled 
diplomatic  commissioner  or  not.  And  I  am  com- 
manded to  insist  that  the  question  of  precedence 
between  the  British  and  United  States  agent,  shall, 
unless  such  agent  be  accredited  as  charge  d'affaires, 
be  determined  by  priority  of  presentation  only." 

From  Mr.  Richards,  the  gentleman  who  in  con- 
junction with  Halilio  negotiated  the  existing  treaty 
between  the  Hawaiian  and  British  governments,  I 
learned,  that  when  he  asked  of  Lord  Aberdeen  an 
acknowledgment  of  the  independence  of  the  islands, 
his  lordship  remarked,  "that  they  were  actually 
United  States  colonies;  the  Americans  had  the 
whole  control  in  them." 

Although  the  independence  of  the  Hawaiian 
government  is  guarantied  by  the  United  States, 


AGITATING  INFLUENCES,  206 

French,  and  British  governments,  that  our  apathy 
in  regard  to  these  thriving  children  of  our  religion 
and  comm6rce  is  safely  calculated  upon,  was  mani- 
fested by  the  fact  of  their  being  seized  upon  by  a 
British  naval  captain  in  a  small  frigate  (Captain 
Poulet,  in  the  Carysfort),  the  British  flag  hoisted 
over  all  the  islands,  and  their  affairs  administered 
for  four  months,  from  February  to  July  1843,  under 
a  British  commission,  until,  from  the  good  sense 
and  sound  discretion  of  Admiral  Thomas,  they 
were  voluntarily  restored  to  their  sovereignty. 

It  should  undoubtedly  be  our  fixed  and  vigilant 
policy  to  preserve  the  independence  of  these  islands, 
by  every  form  and  act;  and  there  are  internal  in- 
fluences acting  in  those  islands,  which  demand  that 
the  individual  representing  us  there  should  be  a 
person  of  great  caution  and  discretion. 

They  present  a  theatre  of  contest  for  the  most 
powerful  interests  which  agitate  communities.  To 
the  ordinary  social  interests,  jealousies  and  rivalries 
which  proverbially  disturb  small  communities,  are 
added  the  national  jealousies  of  the  foreign  resi- 
dents, more  especially  of  those  from  the  United 
States,  England,  and  France,  and  also  the  agita- 
tions of  those  ever  contending  and  powerfully  hostile 
principles,  Romanism  and  Protestantism.  When, 
18 


206  AGITATING  INFLUENCES. 

around  an  infant  and  weak  government,  such  pas- 
sions and  influences  are  contending,  it  may  readily 
be  understood  that  every  interest  encourages  the 
hope  of  controlling  the  government  to  its  own  ends. 
Whether  it  may  be  the  individual,  desirous  of  es- 
tablishing a  pecuniary  claim,  or  the  diplomatist 
seeking  to  establish  a  political  principle,  or  his  own 
character  for  diplomatic  skill,  a  representative 
among  such  interests  should  be  capable  of  distin- 
guishing between  a  triumph  of  individual  vanity 
and  a  principle  of  national  policy. 

Notwithstanding  the  inany  reasons  for  our  hith- 
erto unbroken  influence  in  these  islands,  the  num- 
ber of  our  citizens  resident  there — the  extent  of 
our  commerce ;  notwithstanding  that  until  lately 
every  foreigner  in  the  government,  from  the  cabi- 
net down,  was  a  citizen  of  the  United  States ;  and 
at  the  time  of  which  I  am  now  writing,  all  were, 
but  the  Secretary  of  State;  still  our  relations  to 
the  Hawaiian  government,  at  the  time  of  my  visit 
there,  were  most  unhappy. 

Whilst  all  other  nations  had  free  intercourse 
with  the  government,  ofl&cial  and  social  relations 
between  citizens  of  the  United  States  and  all  con- 
nected with  the  government,  were  interrupted. 
The  authorities   had   taken   such   ofience    at  the 


POLITICAL  TROUBLES.  207 

course  of  our  commissioner,  that  they  had  refused 
further  intercourse  with  him ;  and  society,  in  all 
its  ramifications,  was  agitated  by  the  prevalent 
dispute. 

Without  considering  the  influences  I  have  en- 
deavored to  set  forth,  it  would  be  diflficult  to  attri- 
bute any  such  consequences  to  the  mere  oflScial 
questions  between  the  two  countries. 

The  first  and  chief  question  which  arose  may 
thus  be  briefly  stated.  By  a  treaty  with  Great 
Britain,  it  is  provided  that  any  British  subject  tried 
for  crime  shall  have  a  jury  of  his  countrymen, 
nominated  hy  the  British  consul.  This  provision 
in  the  British  treaty  was  the  consequence  of  a 
similar  provision  contained  in  the  French  treaty, 
forced  upon  the  government  by  the  captain  of  a 
French  frigate,  at  the  same  time  that  he  compelled 
the  islanders  to  admit  ardent  spirits  contrary  to 
their  own  laws,- and  at  a  low  duty,  determined  by 
himself.  It  is  understood  that  the  British  treaty 
was  acceded  to  by  the  Hawaiian  government,  be- 
fore it  was  aware  of  the  acknowledgment  of  its 
sovereignty  by  the  governments  of  Great  Britain 
and  France.  This  clause,  putting  into  the  hands 
of  a  foreign  officer  the  selection  of  a  jury,  is  ad- 
mitted by  all  to  be  grossly  inconsistent  with  so- 


208  POLITICAL  TROUBLES. 

vereignty.  It  is  a  most  unnecessary  provision, 
inasmuch  as  the  laws  of  the  country  make  the  most 
liberal  provisions  for  the  trial  of  foreigners ;  giving 
them,  where  foreigners  alone  are  concerned,  a  jury 
of  foreigners,  designated  by  ballot,  and,  where 
foreigners  and  natives  are  interested,  a  jury,  half 
foreign,  half  native,  selected  in  the  same  manner. 
Although  the  Hawaiian  government  expresses  a 
hope  that  the  magnanimity  of  the  British  and 
French  governments  will  induce  the  abrogation  of 
so  unnecessary  and  offensive  a  provision,  it  has 
conceded  the  same  privilege  to  the  United  States, 
with  which  there  is  no  treaty,  and  it  looked  for  aid 
from  the  United  States,  if  necessary,  in  modifying 
the  English  and  French  treaties.  In  this  state  of 
affairs,  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  of  low  and 
bad  character,  was  convicted  before  a  police  court 
of  a  disgusting  offence,  and  subjected  to  a  fine  of 
fifty  dollars.  The  offence  was  not  one  for  jury 
investigation,  in  its  first  stage,  but  an  appeal  was 
taken  to  a  higher  tribunal,  in  which,  under  the 
laws  of  the  land,  and  from  the  nature  of  the  case, 
a  mixed  jury  would  be  required.  Although  no 
sympathy,  particularly  among  his  own  countrymen, 
was  felt  for  the  individual,  an  attempt  was  now 
made  by  the  United  States  consul  to  secure  the 


POLITICAL  TROUBLES.  209 

selection  of  the  jury.  The  government  refused 
the  privilege,  denying  that,  in  a  similar  case,  it 
would  be  conceded  to  the  British  or  French  con- 
suls, and  asserting  that  such  cases  had  been  tried 
without  the  interference  of  their  consuls,  and 
reiterating  the  assurance  that  the  United  States 
should  have  the  same  privileges  awarded  any  other 
nation,  and  being  willing  to  leave  the  whole  matter 
to  the  decision  of  the  government  of  the  United 
States.  Under  such  circumstances,  this  question 
generated  a  terrible  amount  of  malignancy,  dis- 
sension, and  evil  consequences.  Without  the  sac- 
rifice of  any  interest,  or  the  least  yielding  of 
national  dignity,  the  discussion  might  have  been 
entered  upon  pro  forma,  and  in  good  temper,  to 
attract  attention  to  the  subject,  and  to  induce  the 
abrogation  of  the  clause  in  the  British  and  French 
treaties  violating  the  sovereignty  of  the  islands. 
The  question,  however,  soon  degenerated  into 
warm  personality,  and  oflBcial  correspondence  be- 
came a  struggle  for  sarcastic  supremacy,  and 
diplomacy  the  exciting  topic  of  a  family  gossip. 
The  language  of  the  United  States  commissioner 
being  considered  offensive  to  the  government,  it 
refused  to  hold  further  intercourse  with  him.  Such 
a  state  of  affairs  was  exceedingly  detrimental  to 
18* 


210  MISTAKEN  POLICY. 

the  influence  of  the  United  States,  and  favorable 
to  the  views  of  its  rivals.  The  United  States  com- 
missioner, being  in  personal  hostility  to  his  own 
countrymen  in  the  government,  favored  the  aspira- 
tions of  those  foreigners  desirous  of  supplanting 
them,  and  consequently  one  of  them,  Dr.  Judd, 
gave  place  to  the  British  vice-consul,  who  was  ap- 
pointed Secretary  of  State,  an  office  previously 
held  by  Dr.  Judd. 

As  an  evidence  of  the  extent  to  which  policy 
was  lost  in  personal  feeling,  it  may  be  stated  that, 
during  the  state  of  agitation  and  dissension  above 
described,  a  United  States  vessel  of  war  arrived  at 
the  port  of  Honolulu,  and  her  commander  was  in- 
duced to  withhold  the  customary  salute  from  the 
Hawaiian  flag.  To  so  young  a  nation,  with  a  new- 
fledged  and  feeble  independence,  a  salute  from  the 
armed  ships  of  a  powerful  nation,  like  that  of  the 
United  States,  was  a  matter  of  great  importance; 
and  as  we  certainly  should  be  so  jealous  of  the 
independence  of  these  islands  as  to  show  it  forth 
upon  all  occasions,  it  appears  to  be  a  course  of 
questionable  policy  to  underrate,  in  any  way,  the 
claims  of  the  Hawaiian  flag,  and  bring  it  into  dis- 
respect. Other  and  military  nations  may,  upon 
as  slight  pretexts,  haul  it  down.     However,  the 


LEAVE  HONOLULU.  211 

course  pursued  by  our  men-of-war  was  fluctuating ; 
subsequently  to  this  event,  another  man-of-war  of 
the  United  States  came  into  the  harbor,  and  the 
commissioner  requested  the  commander  to  withhold 
the  salute,  but  was  told  by  the  commander  that  he 
considered  it  rather  our  policy  to  be  ready  in  ren- 
dering and  parading  such  a  salute.  The  commis- 
sioner then  requested  that  if  the  authorities  should 
visit  the  ship  they  might  not  be  saluted,  and  was 
told,  "  That  if  the  Devil  came  on  board,  in  an 
oflScial  capacity,  he  should  be  saluted."  Finally, 
he  requested  that  if  the  commander  called  on  the 
authorities,  he  would  first  call  on  the  British  Con- 
sul-General,  General  Miller. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  our  affairs  in  these  islands 
will  never  be  placed  again  in  such  circumstances. 

While  at  Honolulu,  we  heard  rumors,  apparently 
with  some  foundation,  of  a  war  between  the  United 
States  and  Mexico,  and,  consequently,  we  took  our 
departure  for  California,  uncertain  as  to  what  part 
we  might  be  called  upon  to  play  there. 


212  CALIFORNIAN  ANNEXATION. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

Californian  annexation — Prediction  of  Mr.  Huskisson — Arrival  at 
Monterey  —  The  town  —  Natural  soap  —  Frijoles  —  General 
Micheltoreno — Official  visit— Settlers — Captain  Suter — ^Captain 
Graham — Dancing — Las  once— Morning  calls — Mexican  gar- 
rison. 

Politicians,  it  appears  to  me,  in  discussing  the 
question  of  Californian  annexation,  do  not  carry 
their  investigations  far  enough  back,  but  make  it 
too  much  a  matter  of  merit  or  demerit,  according 
to  their  views,  with  the  powers  existing  at  the  time 
of  its  occurrence.  At  the  risk  of  being  called  a 
disciple  of  the  "manifest  destiny"  principle,  I  will 
venture  the  opinion,  that  this  event  was  bound  to 
occur,  and,  as  the  best  physician  is  but  the  watcher 
and  guide  of  nature,  administrations  are  to  be 
judged  as  they  judiciously  conform  themselves  to, 
or  wilfully  attempt  to  thwart  the  principles  which 
are  controlling  the  world's  advance  and  destiny. 

In  support  of  the  foregoing  view,  and  to  show 
that  Californian  annexation  was  a  thing  of  slow 
and  steady  growth,  foreseen  and  predicted  by  states- 


PREDICTION  OF  MR.  HUSKISSON.  213 

men,  I  will  quote  the  following  remarks  of  Mr. 
Huskisson,  made  in  the  British  House  of  Commons 
so  far  hack  as  1830: — 

"  If  the  United  States  have  declared  that  they 
cannot  allow  the  island  of  Cuba  to  belong  to  any 
maritime  power  in  Europe,  Spain  excepted,  neither 
can  England,  as  the  first  of  those  maritime  powers 
— I  say  it  fearlessly,  because  I  feel  it  strongly — 
suffer  the  United  States  to  bring  under  their  do- 
minion a  greater  portion  of  the  shores  of  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico  than  that  which  they  now  possess. 
Within  the  last  twenty-seven  years  they  have  be- 
come masters  of  all  the  shores  of  that  Gulf,  from 
the  point  of  Florida  to  the  river  Sabine,  including 
the  mouths  of  the  Mississippi,  and  of  other-  great 
rivers,  the  port  of  New  Orleans,  and  the  valuable 
and  secure  harbors  of  Florida ;  and,  within  these 
few  days,  we  hear  of  their  intention  of  forming  a 
naval  station  and  arsenal  at  the  islands  of  the  Dry 
Tortugas,  a  commanding  position  in  the  Gulf-stream 
between  Florida  and  Cuba. 

"With  all  this  extent  of  coast  and  islands,  we 
know,  further,  that  designs  are  entertained  and 
daily  acted  upon — I  will  not  say  by  the  present 
government  of  the  United  States,  but  notoriously 
by  the  people — to  get  possession  of  the  fertile  and 


214  PREDICTION  OF  MR.  HUSKISSON. 

extensive  Mexican  province  of  Texas.  To  borrow 
an  expression  of  a  deceased  statesman  of  that 
country,  '  the  whole  people  of  America  have  their 
eye'  upon  that  province.  They  look  to  all  the 
country  between  the  river  Sabine  and  the  river 
Bravo  del  Norte,  as  a  territory  that  must,  ere  long, 
belong  to  their  Union.  They  have  also,  I  believe, 
that  same  eye  upon  some  of  the  western  coast  of 
Mexico,  valuable  ports  in  the  Gulf  of  California. 
Should  they  obtain  these  districts,  the  independence 
of  Mexico,  I  will  venture  to  say,  will  be  no  better 
or  more  secure  than  that  of  the  Creek  Indians,  or 
any  other  Indian  tribe  now  living  within  the  circle 
of  the  present  recognized  limits  of  the  United 
States;  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  will  become  as 
much  a  part  of  their  waters,  as  the  Black  Sea  was 
once  the  waters  of  Turkey,  or  as  the  channel  which 
separates  England  from  Ireland  may  be  considered 
as  part  of  the  waters  of  the  United  Kingdom. 

"  That  a  war  arising  out  of  these  pretensions 
may  one  day  occur,  is,  perhaps,  but  too  probable. 
The  progress  which  the  United  States  have  already 
made  towards  the  attainment  of  objects  so  mani- 
festly within  their  contemplation,  calls  us  not  to 
regard  that  contingency  as  one  which  provident 
fitatesmen  may  safely  dismiss  from  their  minds.    It 


CALIFORNIA.  215 

is  their  duty  to  neglect  no  measure  within  their 
power  to  prevent." 

For  many  years  before  California  was  annexed, 
the  impression  seemed  to  exist  in  the  United  States 
Pacific  squadron,  that  its  most  important  purpose 
was  to  occupy  California,  and  its  vigilance  was 
directed  to  the  accomplishment  of  such  a  duty. 
The  British  squadron  seemed  to  have  an  equally 
strong  idea  that  its  business  was  to  prevent  any 
such  act  upon  the  part  of  ours,  and,  consequently, 
these  squadrons  went  about  watching  each  other. 
It  is  difiBcult  for  those  who  live  at  home,  in  reach 
of  regular  mails,  railroads,  and  telegraphs,  to  con- 
ceive the  difficulties  of  the  commander  of  a  foreign 
squadron  under  such  circumstances.  War  between 
his  own  and  another  country  might  exist  for  months 
before  it  reached  him  as  a  rumor;  it  would,  most 
likely,  reach  him  as  a  rumor  long  before  it  reached 
him  officially,  and  it  might  reach  the  commanding 
officer  of  another  squadron,  of  opposing  interests, 
first. 

To  act  upon  rumor  might  be  to  commit  a  great 
wrong ;  to  wait  for  official  information  might  be  a 
fatal  delay. 

Commodore  Jones  took  California,  in  1843,  upon 
rumor,  and  that  he  acted  upon  rumor  is  some  evi- 


216  ARRIVAL  AT  MONTEREY. 

dence  that  California  was  expected  to  be  taken  by 
his  government  or  his  country;  he  acted  upon  al- 
most as  much  authority  as  did  Commodore  Sloat 
when  he  took  it  in  1846 ;  and  had  Commodore  Sloat 
delayed  for  further  information,  if  the  protection 
of  the  British  flag  had  not  been  thrown  over  the 
territory,  its  acquisition  by  us  would  have  been 
under  greater  diflSculties,  and  at  the  cost  of  more 
blood. 

In  the  fall  of  1844,  we  lay  in  the  harbor  of 
Monterey,  ready  to  take  California,  upon  the  first 
intelligence  justifying  it;  in  1845,  we  did  the  same 
thing,  and  in  1846  it  was  taken.  Now  consider- 
ing Mr.  Huskisson's  prophecy  in  1830,  and  the  ac- 
tion of  the  American  and  British  squadrons  for 
years  before  the  final  annexation,  I  take  it  that  this 
event  was  decreed  long  before  the  administration 
under  which  it  was  accomplished  was  thought  of. 

It  was  on  Thursday,  October  3d,  1844,  that  our 
ship  left  Honolulu  for  the  coast  of  California.  A 
few  days  changed  the  equable  trade  winds  and 
warm  temperature  of  the  tropics,  for  the  uncertain 
variables  and  the  cool  weather  of  more  northern 
latitudes.  The  change  was  not  disagreeable,  as  it 
relieved  the  lassitude  and  relaxation  of  long-con- 
tinued sultriness,  and  enabled  us  to  enjoy  the  pri- 


MONTEREY.    -  217 

vacy  of  our  state-rooms,  from  which  we  had  long 
been  kept,  by  the  close  and  heated  atmosphere. 
Besides  the  physical  energy  arising  from  such  a 
change,  it  had  a  morally  inspiriting  influence,  from 
its  association  with  the  climate  of  our  home. 

On  the  evening  of  the  twenty-third  day  we  hove- . 
to  about  forty  miles  to  the  northward  of  Monterey, 
and  a  dense  fog  coming  on  we  were  prevented  some 
three  days  from  running  in.  These  three  days 
were  passed  somewhat  impatiently,  for  we  were 
most  anxious  to  have  assurance  of  the  truth  of  the 
important  rumors  which  had  reached  us  at  Hono- 
lulu. 

On  the  thirtieth  day  of  the  month,  we  came  to 
anchor  in  the  harbor  of  Monterey.  This  place  had 
figured  largely  in  our  history,  from  the  fact  of 
Commodore  Jones's  movements  and  occupation, 
during  the  preceding  year.  On  a  hill  to  the  left 
of  the  town  stood  a  farcical  structure,  called  the 
fort,  with  the  Mexican  flag  flying.  It  has  much 
the  appearance  of  a  cow-shed,  standing  on  the  hill- 
side, with  a  low  mud  wall  in  front  of  that  part 
facing  the  harbor. 

At  this  season,  the  country  around  Monterey, 
presented  to  the  eye  naked,  brown-clad  hills,  or  open 
pine  barrens,  with  here  and  there  a  clump  of  live- 
19 


218  MONTEREY. 

oak  trees.  The  soil  is  a  dark  sand ;  and  altogether 
the  country  had  very  much  the  autumn  appearance 
of  many  portions  of  the  southern  United  States. 
All  was  uninclosed  and  uncultivated;  the  only 
houses  seen,  being  the  scattered  white-washed  build- 
ings of  Monterey.  Their  buildings  are  generally 
built  of  sun-dried  mud-bricks;  and  the  population, 
of  about  a  thousand,  was  composed  of  very  dark 
Indians,  with  black  shaggy  hair  hanging  over  the 
foreheads  and  eyes,  or  standing  out  from  their 
heads  like  porcupine  quills;  Mexicans,  with  sallow 
faces,  big  mustaches,  flashy  vests,  shabby  coats, 
and  large,  broad-brimmed  white  hats;  Mexican 
soldiers,  and  Mexican  officers.  Added  to  this  human 
population,  were  war  dogs,  and  of  greater  variety 
than  I  have  ever  before  seen  in  any  place. 

"  Mongrel,  puppy,  whelp,  and  hound, 
And  curs  of  low  degree." 

Bullock  pens  stood  on  the  sandy  unpaved  streets, 
and  myriads  of  beef  bones  lay  scattered  in  every 
direction,  characteristic  of  the  staple  commodity  of 
a  place  in  which  a  raw  hide  is  current  money  at  the 
rate  of  two  dollars. 

The  eflScient  and  working  population  of  Monte- 
rey at  this  time  was  composed  of  citizens  of  the 
United   States,  or  Europeans.     These   keep   the 


THE   TOWN.  219 

stores  and  shops,  and  do  whatever  is  to  be  done. 
The  country  abounds  in  game,  deer,  wild  ducks 
and  geese,  and  quail ;  but  none  shoot  it  to  sell,  un- 
less some  special  arrangement  is  made  for  the  pur- 
pose. Tolerable  apples,  fine  dried  dates  and  figs, 
grown  in  the  country,  were  for  sale  in  the  stores, 
but  fifty  cents  a  pound  were  asked  for  the  dried 
fruit.  Two  wines,  red  and  white,  products  of  the 
country,  were  also  to  be  had  in  the  shops.  The 
red  was  something  like  a  light  port,  and  the  white 
had  the  color  and  flavor  of  still  champagne. 

On  the  main  street,  if  street  it  could  be  called, 
we  found  the  house  and  store  of  our  consul,  Mr. 
Larkin.  It  was  indicated  by  our  flag,  which  was 
flying  over  it,  and  further  by  a  lantern  of  glass  and 
tin,  painted  red,  over  the  door,  and  having  "  U.  S. 
Consulate,"  in  yellow  letters,  on  the  glass.  Com- 
munication between  Monterey  and  the  United 
States,  was  at  long  and  uncertain  intervals;  but 
so  far  there  was  nothing  known  here  to  authorize 
any  but  friendly  relations  between  the  Californians 
and  ourselves. 

Strolling  about  the  vicinity  of  the  town,  we  came 
upon  a  small  stream  of  fresh  water,  whose  borders 
were  animated  by  the  women  of  the  place,  engaged 
in  washing  clothes,  and  as  the  process  was  one  now 


220  NATURAL  SOAP. 

to  US,  it  may  be  worth  a  passing  notice.  A  wash- 
board, or  block  was  placed  upon  the  edge  of  the 
stream.  This  block  is  made  by  hewing  a  log  to 
half  its  thickness,  leaving,  however,  one  end  entire 
as  a  support  for  the  body  of  the  laundress,  as  she 
leans  over  to  her  work.  Upon  the  smooth  surface 
of  this  washboard,  the  clothes  are  rubbed  with  a 
soap  which  nature  spontaneously  and  abundantly 
provides.  It  is  a  bulbous  root,  terminated  by  a  tuft 
of  fibres.  These  fibres  are  grasped  in  the  hand, 
and  the  layers,  like  those  of  an  onion,  are  spread 
out,  and,  being  rubbed  on  the  articles  with  water, 
raises  a  lather,  or  foam,  effectually  removing  the 
dirt.  The  people  say  it  cleanses  better  than  soap, 
but  such  garments  as  are  to  be  worn  next  the  skin 
require  to  be  well  rinsed  to  free  them  from  an  an- 
noying fibre. 

Our  walk  had  given  us  an  appetite  which  rendered 
it  exceedingly  desirable  to  find  some  house  of  en- 
tertainment; but  Monterey  boasted  no  hotel.  We 
had  learned  that  the  laws  of  hospitality  so  pre- 
vailed in  this  country  that  almost  any  man's  house 
and  table  would  have  been  deemed  our  right,  were 
our  necessities  made  known.  Not  wishing  to  assert 
such  a  right,  we  looked  about  without  inquiring  for 
some  indications  of  any  place  where  food  might  be 


FRIJOLES.  221 

bought;  and  at  length,  over  an  out  of  the  way  and 
small  shanty,  found  a  badly  lettered  sign  with  the 
word  "caf^,"  in  very  small  letters.  It  was  a 
miserable,  dirty  looking  place,  kept  by  a  native  of 
Manila.  He  agreed  to  supply  our  wants ;  and  after 
an  hour's  delay  served  up  dishes  of  stewed  fish,  fried 
fish,  stewed  beef,  scrambled  eggs,  and  frijoles.  All 
were  well  cooked  and  savory;  although  things  in 
general  looked  very  suspicious,  so  far  as  cleanliness 
was  concerned;  and  the  most  filthy  little  urchin  I 
ever  saw  was  our  table  attendant. 

Among  our  dishes,  I  have  mentioned  frijoles, 
and  it  is  impossible  to  speak  of  Mexican  habits, 
without  saying  something  of  frijoles  (pronounced 
fre-h(51ees).  These  are  nothing  more  than  beans, 
generally  a  red  or  brown  bean;  and  whatever  else, 
or  how  much,  a  Mexican  may  eat  for  breakfast, 
dinner,  or  supper,  his  concluding  dish  must  be  fri- 
joles. They  are,  certainly,  as  cooked  in  Mexico, 
very  savory,  and,  having  learned  the  process  from 
a  handsome,  neat,  and  intelligent  housewife  of 
Monterey,  it  may  not  be  altogether  useless,  or  out 
of  place,  to  give  it. 

The  beans  are  first  boiled  until  well  softened, 
in  soft  water;  hard  water  will  not  soften  them; 
then,  some  lard  is  heated  to  boiling  in  another  ves- 
19* 


222  GENERAL  MICHELTORENO. 

Bel;  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  the  lard  should 
be  heated  to  ebullition*  While  in  this  state,  the 
beans  are  ladled  into  it  from  the  water,  and  s«ch 
quantity  of  salt  and  pepper  as  is  necessary,  added. 
Sufficient  of  the  water,  in  which  the  beans  were 
boiled,  is  mixed  with  them  to  keep  the  whole  about 
the  consistence  of  thin  m^ish,  and  but  a  few  min- 
utes after  they  are  transferred  to  the  lard  are 
necessary  to  complete  the  process. 

Much  curiosity  was  felt  to  see  General  Michel- 
toreno,  the  present  governor  of  California.  This 
gentleman  had  figured  largely  in  the  correspond- 
ence respecting  the  occupation  of  the  territory  on 
the  preceding  year,  having  then  officially  wished 
himself  a  "thunderbolt,"  that  he  might  annihilate 
the  invaders  of  his  country.  Soon  after  our  arri- 
val, a  day  was  appointed  by  him  to  make  an  offici- 
al visit  to  our  ship.  Having  formed  our  opinion 
of  him  from  his  belligerent  correspondence,  the 
expectation  was  to  see  a  bombastic,  gasconading, 
and  very  ridiculous  personage.  It  was,  therefore, 
with  some  surprise,  that  we  saw  step  on  board,  a 
tall,  fine-looking  man,  with  a  mild,  smiling,  and 
agreeable  countenance.  His  manners  were  cour- 
teous, graceful,  and  indicated  savoir  faire.  He 
wore  a  very  rich  and  showy  uniform.     The  breast 


OFFICIAL  VISIT.  223 

of  his  coat  being  fine  crimson  cloth,  brilliantly  em- 
broidered; the  rest  of  the  garment  was  of  green 
cloth,  also  richly  embroidered.  A  fine  bunch  of 
white  plumes  waved  from  his  chapeau.  Quite  a 
large  suite  attended  the  general.  It  was  composed 
of  persons  of  all  sizes  and  ranks,  civil  and  military, 
in  a  contrasting  variety  of  costume.  A  few  ofii- 
cers  had  several  medals  or  orders  strung  across  the 
breasts  of  their  coats,  some  of  which,  they  boasted, 
were  for  services  rendered  in  Texas.  Our  visitors 
expressed  great  admiration  "v  'lie  "Castillo  an- 
dando,"  or  walking  c^^etie,  a^^  icy  called  our  ship. 
Refreshments  wMfe  served,  and  our  commandftr 
having  givQji'  a  toast  complimentary  to  Mexico, 
GeneraJ/Micheltoreno  returned  it  by  one  wishing 
for  '>^eace  and  friendship  with  the  United  States." 

was  an  indication  that  this  peace  and  friendship 
'were  in  a  doubtful  state.  The  general,  at  parting, 
invited  us  "  sin  ceremonla"  (without  ceremony),  to 
»  "las  once"  (eleven  o'clock),  on  the  following 
Wednesday.  "Las  once,"  signifying  the  hour,  is 
equivalent  to  our  lunch. 

The  general  and  his  suite  were  saluted  with 
fifteen  guns  as  they  left  the  ship.  Ere  long,  pow- 
der and  noise  were  to  indicate  more  than  ceremony 
and  compliments.     An  invitation  was  also  given 


224  A  SETTLER. 

by  our  consul  to  the  governor's  party  and  our- 
selves to  meet  at  his  house  on  the  following 
Monday. 

Early  after  our  arrival  at  Monterey,  I  had  occa- 
sion to  1.  visit  an  invalid  colonel  in  the  Mexican 
army,  and  the  circumstances  under  which  I  found 
him,  may  be  mentioned  as  illustrative  of  social 
Mexican  life  in  California.  The  room  occupied  by 
the  sick  oflBcer  was  neat  and  comfortably  furnished, 
and  he  was  lying  on  a  polished  brass  bedstead; 
but  this  room  was  the  very  next  one  to  a  low  grog- 
gery,  and  the  door  of  the  room  opened  upon  all 
the  noise  and  rowdyism  of  the  adjoining  apartment. 
The  sick  man  fancied  that  my  visit  had  been  a 
favor  done  him,  and  at  parting,  he  took  my  hand 
between  both  of  his  and  pressed  it  with  many  ex- 
pressions of  kindness.  A  priest  was  by  his  bed- 
side. 

Very  soon  after  our  arrival  in  Monterey,  we 
began  to  meet  those  enterprising  specimens  of  our 
wandering  countrymen,  whose  restless  spirits  are 
only  bounded  by  the  impossibility  of  further  pro- 
gress. The  first  whom  I  met,  I  found  seated  on  a 
counter  in  a  store,  and  looking  just  as  none  other 
than  one  of  our  interior  farmers  could  look.  He 
was  an  old  man,  with  a  calm,  quiet  face,  an  intel- 


FUTURE  INTENTIONS.  225 

ligent,  fine  blue  eye ;  and  wore  a  broad-brimmed 
glazed  hat,  short  blue  jacket,  coarse  gray  panta- 
loons, and  coarse  yellow  brogans.  His  head  was 
bald  over  the  middle,  with  a  few  thin  gray  hairs 
on  either  side,  and  he  stooped  somewhat  with  the 
weight  of  time  and  hard  service.  As  soon  as  I 
saw  him,  I  remarked :  "  Well,  I  need  not  ask  if 
you  are  a  countryman  of  mine  ?" 

"  No ;  I'm  from  North  Ca'lina." 

"  How  did  you  get  here  ?" 

Speaking  in  a  slow,  measured  tone,  he  replied : 

"I  settled  first  in  the  Missouri,  then  in  New 
Mexico,  where  I  stopped  awhile,  and  at  last  got 
into  the  Californy." 

"  How  do  you  like  it?" 

"  Better  than  any  country  I  have  ever  seed." 

"  You  are  farming  now  ?" 

"  Yes ;  I  have  two  leagues  of  rich  land  in  the 
valley,  and  one  of  timber  on  the  mountain.  Things 
grow  pretty  much  of  themselves." 

"  How  d<5  you  get  your  farm  ?" 

"  They  just  give  it  to  me,  for  settling  and  im- 
proving." 

"  I  suppose  there  is  so  little  government  here, 
you  will  be  soon  for  taking  the  country  into  your 
own  hands." 


% 


226  FUTURE  INTENTIONS. 

"  Well,  we  aint  like  the  Texas,  we  aint  got  the 
country  to  back  us ;  but  we  raither  expect,  when 
they  settle  in  on  the  Columby,  so  that  we  have  the 
country  to  back  us,  we  will  take  it." 

This  old  man  lived  within  forty  miles  of  the  Bay 
of  San  Francisco,  on  the  river  Sacramento,  and 
had  come  here,  to  the  capital  of  the  territory,  to 
get  some  title  deeds  for  his  lands,  but  obstacles 
were  being  thrown  in  his  way.  He  was  put  off 
from  day  to  day,  by  being  told  that  the  governor's 
secretary  was  absent.  He  stated  that  on  his  side, 
meaning  that  part  of  California  in  which  he  resided, 
there  were  as  many  residents,  citizens  of  the  United 
States,  as  there  were  of  Mexico-Spanish  blood, 
and  that  the  country  was  altogether  under  much 
better  regulation ;  this  part,  indeed,  being  almost 
destitute  of  law  or  government. 

Making  some  inquiry  as  to  his  stock,  he  informed 
me  that  he  had  about  three  hundred  horses,  in- 
cluding mares,  but  that  "mars,"  as  he  called  them, 
they  did  not  use.  He  said  he  had  plenty  of  every- 
thing, and  earnestly  invited  me  to  come  and  see 
him,  and  to  bring  my  friends ;  he  would  show  us  a 
"  bar"  or  two,  if  we  wished  to  shoot  any ;  and  if 
we  would  come  in  a  boat,  he  would  present  us  with 
some  fat  sheep  to  take  back  with  us.     This  was  a 


CAPTAIN  SUTE&.  227 

fair  specimen  of  one  class  of  settlers  filling  up  this 
far  west.  I  had  previously  seen  another  who  was 
not  a  specimen  of  a  class,  but  an  original,  sui 
generis,  and  will,  therefore,  sketch  a  rapid  portrait 
of  him. 

Among  the  persons  in  the  suite  of  General 
Micheltoreno,  when  he  visited  the  ship,  was  a  man 
of  medium,  or  rather  low  stature,  but  with  a  mark- 
ed military  air.  He  wore  a  cap,  and  plain  blue 
frock  coat,  a  mustache  covered  his  lip.  His  head 
was  of  very  singular  formation,  being  flat  and 
wall-shaped  behind,  and  rising  high  over  the  crown, 
with  a  lofty  and  expanded  forehead.  His  man- 
ners were  courteous,  but  displayed  great  precision. 
Such  was  Captain  Suter,  a  Swiss  by  birth.  For 
seven  years,  as  I  learned,  he  had  been  a  captain  in 
the  Swiss  Guards  ;  and  during  a  leave  of  absence 
visited  the  United  ^States,  and  settled  in  Missouri. 
Finding  the  climate  of  Missouri  too  cold,  with 
twelve  men  he  invaded  California,  and  conquered 
from  the  Indians  that  portion  of  the  territory 
which  he  now  occupies.  To  protect  himself  both 
against  the  Indians,  and  any  unfair  exactions  of 
Mexican  Californian  governors,  he  built  a  fort,  and 
fortified  himself.  At  this  time,  he  occupied  thirty 
leagues  of  territory,  and  kept  constantly  employed 


.3"    * 


228  CAPTAIN  SDTER. 

two  hundred  mer,  who  worked  during  the  week, 
and  were  exercised  in  military  manoeuvi'es  on  Sun- 
day. His  chief  product  is  wheat,  with  which  he 
supplies  the  Russian  Possessions,  at  two  dollars 
the  fanega,  or  one  dollar  a  hushel,  and  during  har- 
vest it  is  stated  he  employs  six  hundred  laborers 
in  his  fields.  He  is  also  experimenting  with  cot- 
ton, hemp,  and  tobacco.  Over  the  Indians,  it  is 
said,  his  influence  is  unbounded,  and  he  controls 
all  within  the  extent  'of  several  hundred  miles. 
His  settlement  is  on  the  Sacramento,  about  one 
hundred  miles  from  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco. 

The  Mexican  government  became  exceedingly 
jealous  of  his  power  and  influence;  but  not  having 
suflScient  energy  to  suppress  him,  made  a  virtue  of 
necessity,  and  acknowledged  his  authority  as  mili- 
tary governor  of  the  neighborhood  in  which  he 
resided. 

While  upon  the  subject  of  these  settlers  in  Cali- 
fornia, I  will  sketch  another  who  was  at  Monterey 
at  the  time  of  our  visit,  and  who  had  already  figured 
some  in  the  annals  of  California. 

Just  as  I  was  about  to  go  ofi"  to  the  ship  in  one 
of  our  boats,  I  found,  at  the  landing,  a  stout, 
heavy-set,  stalwart-looking  man,  about  forty-five 
years  of  age.     He  had  the  air  and  costume  of  one 


CAPTAIK  GRAHAM.  229 

of  my  countrymen.  His  countenance  expressed 
shrewdness,  firmness,  and  rough  intelligence,  with 
something  of  quiet,  dry  humor.  He  was  respect- 
ably dressed  in  blue  frock,  pantaloons,  and  a  broad- 
brimmed  fur  hat.  Approaching  me,  he  called  me 
by  name,  and  said,  "  My  name  is  Graham,  I  expect 
you  have  heard  of  me" — and  I  had.  At  one  time, 
when  the  governor  of  the  territory  had  been  guilty 
of  some  of  the  outrages  upon  the  community  not 
unusual,  this  man  alone,  by  his  firmness  and  cour- 
age, had  deposed  him,  and  installed  another  in  his 
stead.  But  those  whom  he  had  served,  and  who 
wanted  courage  and  decision  to  act  without  him, 
were  in  too  much  dread  of  him  to  continue  any 
friendly  alliance,  farther  than  served  their  own 
purposes.  He  was  assailed  by  all  manner  of  hos- 
tility and  persecution,  his  property  wasted,  he  him- 
self fired  upon  in  his  bed,  captured  by  an  armed 
host,  imprisoned,  and  vilely  maltreated.  Captain 
Graham  is  a  B^ntuckian  by  birth,  but  has  been 
many  years  in  this  country: — he  only  bides  his 
time  to  redress  the  wrongs  and  outrages  heaped 
upon  him  by  the  Mexicans.  He  accompanied  me 
on  board. 

On  the  morning  of  the  general's  "las  once,!' 
while  on  my  way  to  the  place  of  nice  ting,  I  saw 


230  HOW  TO  KnJ.  A  BEAR. 

Graham  standing  before  the  consnl's  door.  He 
had  his  back  half  turned  toward  a  little  mustached 
Mexican .  colonel,  the  colonel's  hand  rested  in  the 
left  hand  of  Graham,  which  hung  carelessly  by  his 
side,  as  one  might  hold  a  child,  while  Graham  was 
engaged  in  conversation  with  a  third  person.  As 
I  approached,  I  said,  "  Captain  Graham,  do  you  go 
to  the  general's  party?"  He  exclaimed,  with  some 
surprise,  "What,  I!  No,  indeed;  a  corrdl  (an  ox- 
yard)  is  not  big  enough  to  hold  me  and  one  of 
thjMp."  Jerking  his  head  toward  the  Mexican 
officer,  but  without  looking  at  him,  he  continued, 
"  I  like  this  little  fellow  better  than  any  of  them — 
he  is  a  right  clever  fellow — rather  more  than  an 
aiverage  for  a  black  man." 

Among  the  settlers  was  a  Oaptaio  Childs,  a  young 
man  about  thirty-five  years  of  age,  but  who  had 
crossed  the  Rocky  Mountains  three  times,  acting 
as  commanding  officer,  or  guide  to  emigrating 
parties.  Although  all  these  settlers  are  necessarily 
good  rifle  shots,  Captain  Childs  was  considered  to 
excel  with  this  weapon.  Just  before  coming  into 
Monterey,  he  had  killed  three  bears.  The  follow- 
ing is  his  mode  of  proceeding  with  them :  When 
the  bear  is  come  upon  suddenly,  he  squats  upon 
his  haunches,  and  erects  his  body;  this  gives  the 


PROPENSITY  FOR  DANCING.  1231 

huntsman  time  to  dismount,  and  to  aim  a  shot, 
which  must  be  a  fatal  one,  at  his  heart;  for,  if  the 
bear  is  wounded  without  being  disabled,  it  requires 
a  swift  horse  and  no  impediments  to  secure  aii 
escape. 

Such  are  the  men  who,  singly  or  in  small  parties, 
have  gathered  into  California,  and,  living  scattered 
about  the  plains  and  woods,  their  number  is  over- 
looked. A  wedding  took  place  at  the  house  of  the 
United  States  Consul  at  Monterey;  the  couple  being 
immigrants  from  the  United  States,  the  house  was 
filled  with  settlers.  The  authorities  became  alarmed 
at  their  numbers,  and,  on  the  following  morning, 
sent  to  inquire  where  they  had  all  come  from,  but 
by  this  time  they  had  dispersed,  and  no  one  could 
tell  where.  It  was  not  di£Scult  to  foresee  the  des- 
tiny of  •a  territory  so  peopled,  or  to  prophecy  that 
it  could  not  long  continue  under  its  present  imbecile 
mismanagement. 

Dancing  is  the  passion  of  Californians;  it  aflFects 
all,  from  infancy  to  old  age;  grandmothers  and 
grandchildren  are  •  seen  dancing  together ;  their 
houses  are  constructed  with  reference  to  this  amuse- 
ment, and  most  of  the  interior  space  is  appropriated 
to  the  sala,  a  large,  bam-like  room.  A  few  chairs 
and  a  wooden  settee  are  all  its  furniture ;  and  when 


S39  PROPENSITY  FOR  DANCING. 

a  visitor  would  compliment  the  visited  friend  upon 
the  advantages  and  comforts  of  the  house,  the  ex- 
clamation is,  What  a  fine  room  for  dancing !  If  a 
few  people  get  together  at  any  hour  of  the  day, 
the  first  thought  is  to  send  for  a  violin  and  guitar; 
and  should  the  violin  and  guitar  he  found  together, 
in  appropriate  hands,  it  would  he  a  sufficient  reason 
to  send  for  the  dancers. 

According  to  previous  invitation,  we  met  at  two 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  at  the  house  of  our  consul, 
and  found  there  an  assemblage  of  the  citizens  of 
the  place,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  Mexican  and  Cali- 
fornian.  General  and  la  Senora  Micheltoreno, 
were  of  the  party.  The  senora  had  a  more  dis- 
tinguished and  polished  air  than  any  female  present. 
Dancing  commenced  immediately,  and,  in  the  vari- 
ous combinations  of  quadrilles,  contradances,  and 
waltzes,  was  kept  up  until  nine  o'clock  at  night. 

Californian  ladies  assume  conjugal  and  maternal 
cares  very  early  in  life.  Several,  whom  I  took  to 
be  misses  of  fifteen  or  sixteen,  proved  to  be  wives 
and  mothers,  but,  determined  not  to  miss  the  dance, 
had  brought  the  babies  with  them  ;  these,  in  the 
adjoining  apartment,  received  the  attentions  of 
their  mothers  during  the  intervals  of  the  dances. 
The  females  were  dressed  very  much  as  those  of  a 


7^^ 


LAS  ONCE.  233 


similar  assemblage  in  any  of  our  interior  villages 
would  be,  and  they  had  much  personal  beauty. 
This  party  at  the  consul's  might  be  considered  our 
introduction  to  the  society  of  Monterey.  We  were 
not  the  only  foreigners  present;  as  Her  British 
Majesty's  ship  Modeste,  having  just  come  into  the 
port,  we  had  the  pleasure  of  their  company. 

Our  next  appearance  was  at  the  governor's  "las 
once."  As  we  turned  the  corner  of  the  govern- 
ment house,  on  our  way  to  fulfil  this  engagement, 
we  observed  a  few  Mexican  soldiers  lounging  upon 
benches  in  its  front.  Upon  seeing  us  approach,  a 
bugler  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  sounded  a  screeching 
blast,  the  soldiers  hurriedly  formed  into  line,  and 
saluted  us  as  we  passed. 

The  governor,  with  his  officers,  received  us  in  a 
room  on  the  first  floor,  la  sefiora  also  being  pre- 
sent, seated  on  a  sofa.  From  our  mutually  im- 
perfect knowledge  of  each  other's  language,  some 
difficulty  was  experienced  in  entertaining  us  until 
the  feast  should  be  ready,  but  a  very  earnest  dis- 
position was  manifested  to  make  our  time  agreeable, 
and  fortunately  a  hand  organ  was  in  the  room, 
and  the  general  directed  a  little  colonel  (the  friend 
of  Captain^  Graham),  covered  with  uniform  and 
orders,  to  give  us  the  benefit  of  this  machine.* 
20* 


23^  THE  TABLE. 

The  colonel  seated  himself  before  it,  and  most 
industriously  ground  out  its  notes,  until  he  was 
compelled,  by  fatigue,  to  relinquish  its  handle  to  a 
younger  officer,  who  continued  his  task  until  the 
,  table  was  announced  as  ready.  We  did  full  jus- 
tice to  the  earnest  and  kind  efforts  to  entertain  us. 

Proceeding  to  the  upper  story,  we  found  a  long 
table  spread  in  the  "  Sala  del  Gobierno,"  or  Go- 
vernment Hall.  The  following  dishes  were  ranged 
along  its  whole  length,  in  regular  alternation : 
first,  wild  ducks  or  geese  roasted,  flanked  by  a 
plate  of  almonds,  and  one  of  filberts,  picked  from 
the  shell;  then  a  plate  of  cheese,  in  slices;  next  one 
of  olives ;  and,  finally,  one  of  onions ;  then,  again, 
came  the  ducks,  nuts,  cheese,  olives,  and  onions. 
Throughout  the  table  were  capacious  smooth-blown 
glass  decanters,  of  the  red  and  white  wines  of  the 
country,  and  square  case  bottles  of  annisette  and 
other  cordials. 

After  the  drinking  had  continued  for  some  time, 
a  large  champagne  glass  was  produced,  which, 
instead  of  having  a  flat  bottom,  terminated  in  a 
glass  ball,  precluding  the  possibility  of  setting  it 
down  without  spilling  any  wine  left  in  it,  and, 
therefore,  making  bumper  drinking  a  necessity  to 
•%,ny  one  holding  the  glass.     Each  person  was  re- 


TOAST  DRINKING.  235 

quired,  in  turn,  to  fill  it,  give  a  toast,  drink  tke 
wine,  and  pass  the  glass  to  his  neighbor.  The 
general  commenced.  All  kinds  of  common-place 
patriotic  toasts  were  given — the  United  States, 
Mexico,  Great  Britain,  the  presidents  of  the  two 
•former,  and  the  queen  of  the  latter — peace  and 
friendship  between  all  three  ;  General  Washington 
and  General  Santa  Anna  (shade  of  the  former 
pardon  the  alliance) ;  the  ladies  of  Monterey ;  the 
ladies  of  Mexico ;  and,  finally,  the  ladies  of  all  the 
world.  Most  persons  stuck  to  common  places^ 
whict  could,  at  least,  be  readily  understood ;  but 
some  ambitious  individuals  ventured  upon  origi- 
nality and  sentimentality.  At  length  the  glass 
reached  a  midshipman,  his  first  cruise.  He  filled, 
rose,  looked  around  the  table  with  an  air  whioh 
said,  "  I'll  give  you  something  worth  hearing,"  he 
spread  his  hands,  and  came  out  in  the  school-boy 
manner  of  "  Romans,  countrymen,  and  lovers," 
and  after  an  embryo  Yankee  stump  oration,  con- 
cluded with  "  the  Mexican  soldiery,  and  the  glo- 
rious example  of  their  superiors."  Fortunately 
none  of  our  hosts  understood  one  word  of  the  whole 
affair,  or  they  might  have  thought  we  were  laugh- 
ing at  them. 

These  proceedings  having  continued  sufficiently 


236  MORNING  CALLS. 

long,  interspersed  with  a  goodly  number  of  hip, 
hip,  hurras,  and  things  beginning  to  flag  a  little, 
B  musical  clock,  which  had  stood  like  a  tall  sentinel 
overlooking  the  scene,  and  ticking  father  time's 
footsteps,  was  brought  to  the  rescue.  It  was 
wound  up  and  started  to  the  apparent  delight  of 
every  body. 

After  an  active  session  of  four  hours,  we  con- 
cluded the  entertainment,  but  with  an  understand- 
ing that  we  were  to  return  to  a  dance,  or  ball, 
commencing  at  five  in  the  afternoon.  Accordingly, 
at  that  hour  we  found  the  governor's  residence  filled 
with  a  much  larger  assemblage  than  we  had  met 
at  the  consul's.  There  seemed  to  be  no  distinction 
in  this  Californian  society,  founded  upon  occu- 
pation, and  scarcely  of  color ;  but  their  associa- 
tion with  each  other  was  characterized  by  great 
friendliness,  or  even  aifection  of  manner.  The 
dancing  was  kept  up  until  three  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  when  we  retired,  well  worn  out  with  Cali- 
fornia'h  festivities. 

In  the  course  of  the  morning  following  these 
revels,  several  of  us  called  upon  the  ladies  whom 
we  had  met  at  the  general's ;  and  first  upon  the 
general's  lady,  whom  we  found  in  a  very  domestic 
^arb,   engaged   in    household   duties.      All   upon 


MOBNING  CALLS.  237 

■whom  we  called  were  very  much  en  deshabilU, 
their  dresses  being  of  coarse  materials,  such  as  are 
worn  by  domestics  in  our  country ;  they  were,  how- 
ever, entirely  unembarrassed,  and  gave  us  a  kind- 
hearted  and  cheerful  welcome,  proffering,  according 
to  Spanish  courtesy,  to  put  us  in  possession  of 
their  houses,  and  all  their  possessions.  So  far  as 
furniture  is  concerned,  this  would  have  been  but 
little,  the  principal  rooms  containing  only  a  few 
chairs  and  trunks,  or  boxes. 

The  little  furniture,  and  the  coarse  materials  of 
the  ladies'  dresses,  is  a  necessity  arising  from 
the  high  price  of  manufactured  articles ;  the  com- 
mon checked  calico  of  their  dresses,  probably  cost 
their  wearers  more  than  the  tasteful  and  fine 
articles  worn  by  females  in  the  United  States. 
Materials  worth  ten  or  twelve  cents  with  us,  being 
in  Monterey  worth  fifty  or  seventy-five.  Some 
of  the  ladies,  indeed,  dispensed  with  the  super- 
fluity of  a  frock,  and  let  the  petticoat  stand  for 
the  outer  garment  of  morning  attire..  Their  'even- 
ing attire,  consequently,  is  very  expensive,  and 
those  who  can  afford  it  spend  much  money  in  dress.  * 
A  reboso,  the  scarf  made  of  thread,  and  worn  over 
the  head,  cost,  in  Monterey,  from  fifty-five  to 
sixty  dollars ;  and  in  one  store  I  saw  some  em- 


238     THE  GARRISON  AND  THE  GOVERNOR. 

broidered  silk  cloaks,  for  which  four  hundred  and 
thirty  dollars,  each,  were  asked. 

Very  great  dissatisfaction  and  unhappiness  were 
prevailing  at  this  time  in  Monterey,  in  relation  to 
their  government.  The  governor  was  a  military 
appointment  made  by  the  general  government ;  and 
the  soldiers  who  accompanied  him,  to  garrison  the 
place,  were  scoundrels,  robbers,  and  assassins, 
exiled  from  the  prisons  of  Mexico.  Instead  of 
protecting  the  citizens,  they  committed  all  man- 
ner of  villainous  outrages  upon  them.  Houses 
were  continually  being  robbed  by  these  soldiers ; 
and  to  be  on  the  streets  after  dark  was  to  incur 
the  risk  of  assassination.  Such  was  the  lawlessness 
of  the  place,  that  some  fifty  ladies  had  gone  into 
the  retirement  of  the  country,  to  be  out  of  the 
reach  of  these  Mexican  soldiers.  It  would  have 
been  difficult,  perhaps,  for  any  commanding  officer 
to  have  controlled  such  men,  but  least  of  all  per- 
sons was  General  Micheltoreno  fitted  for  such  a 
command.  He  was  an  officer  of  engineers,  and, 
notwithstanding  his  thunderbolt  letter,  a  man  of 
kind  heart,  and  mild,  amiable  manners.  He  was  a 
scholar,  a  poet,  a  contributor  to  the  Mexican  An- 
nual ;  and  his  letter  was  undoubtedly  an  efi'ort  of 
the   imagination  written   for   Buncombe.     Under 


THE  GARRISON  AND  THE  GOVERNOR.     239 

the  nominal  control  of  such  an  officer,  his  villain 
soldiers  "were  free  to  outrage  whom  they  pleased. 
Some  of  the  foreigners  took  measures  to  protect 
their  premises ;  and  one,  a  German,  told  me  that 
he  had  notified  the  general  that  he  should  shoot 
any  man  found  prowling  ahout  his  house  after 
dark;  the  general  merely  replied,  "Oh,  don't  kill 
them,  only  hurt  them  a  little." 


240         STARTING  FOR  THE  RANCHO. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

Starting  for  a  rancho — The  road — The  rancho — Don  J.  G. — The 
dwelling — The  household  supper — Sam's  arrival — Visiting — 
Corapadres  and  coraadres — Alvarado — A  countryman — Good 
shooting — More  arrivals. 

An  old  gentleman,  a  Mexican,  Don  J.  G.,  who 
owned  a  rancho  some  thirty  miles  from  Monterey, 
had  been  kind  enough  to  invite  us  to  visit  him, 
and  spend  some  time,  to  enjoy  the  fine  hunting  in 
the  neighborhood  of  his  residence.  -  ' 

In  compliance  with  this  invitation,  one  fine  day, 
the  12th  of  November,  a  party  of  five  entered 
Monterey,  on  our  way  to  the  rancho.  Our  luggage 
was  sufficient  for  a  small  army;  consisting  of  all 
the  accoutrements  of  hunting,  carpet-bags,  saddle- 
bags, boxes  of  wines,  and  provisions.  Don  Juachin 
had  preceded  us  some  days  to  his  residence,  with 
the  promise  of  sending  horses  for  our  accommoda- 
tion. The  horses  ought  to  have  arrived  on  the 
preceding  evening,  and  we  were  somewhat  disap- 
pointed upon  finding  they  had  not  yet  reached 
Monterey.     We  had  made  too  much  preparation 


STARTING  FOR  THE  RANCHO.        241 

for  our  excursion,  to  be  willing  to  relinquish,  or 
postpone  it,  and  therefore  made  arrangements  to 
procure  horses  for  ourselves  in  the  town. 

In  the  first  place,  we  hired  one  of  the  ox-carts 
of  the  country,  an  unwieldy,  lumbering  machine, 
with  two  wheels  of  solid  wood,  sections  of  a  log. 
This  machine  was  dragged  by  two  yoke  of  oxen, 
and  in  it  we  stowed  all  our  luggage,  and,  about  ten 
o'clock  in  the  morning  started  it,  with  a  negro  man 
who  had  wandered  from  Annapolis,  Maryland,  sis 
driver,  and  a  trusty  negro  servant  of  mine,  armed 
with  gun  and  pistol,  as  guard.  It  was  one  P.  M. 
before  our  party  had  all  procured  horses,  and  were 
ready  to  start.  We  were  accompanied  by  a  Mex- 
ican colonel,  and  an  ensign,  appointed  by  the  gov- 
ernor to  attend  us,  as  we  thought  then,  as  an  escort 
of  honor,  but  as  I  am  -inclined  to  think  now,  as 
watchers  of  our  movements. 

Besides  these  officers,  a  Mexican  neighbor  of  Don 
Juachin  went  out  with  us,  and  an  English  resident; 
and  a  shrewd,  active  youth  of  fourteen,  the  son  of 
an  American  father  and  Californian  mother,  in- 
duced me  to  ask  the  consent  of  his  parents  to  his 
joining  the  party.  I  did  so,  and  Frank  promised 
to  be  very  useful,  speaking  English,  knowing  the 
21 


242  THE  ROAD. 

country  and  the  rancheros,  to  many  of  whom  he 
was  related. 

The  first  fifteen  miles  of  our  ride  was  over  sand- 
hills, through  a  thin,  live-oak  growth ;  we  then  came 
upon  a  small  stream  dividing  these  hills  from  a 
prairie  spreading  far  away  to  a  range  of  brown 
mountain  hills.  Just  before  reaching  the  river,  we 
were  met  by  a  drove  of  horses,  sent  by  Don  Ju- 
achin  for  our  accommodation;  they  were  accom- 
panied by  a  cheerful  looking,  smiling  Mexican  ser- 
vant, called  Pablo.  This  man  was  in  the  full  Mex- 
ican costume  of  his  class;  broad-brimmed  hat,  short 
jacket,  green  leather  trowsers,  open  down  the  out- 
side of  the  legs,  and  decorated  with  a  row  of  bell 
buttons,  along  the  whole  length  of  each  leg ;  white 
drawers  showing  under  the  trowsers.  Upon  meet- 
ing us,  Pablo  and  his  horses  turned  back  with  us.) 

The  day  was  beautifully  clear  and  bright ;  the 
temperature  mild  and  balmy ;  and  as  we  entered 
upon  the  broad,  brown  prairie  after  crossing  the 
river,  similar  November  days,  amid  similar  scenes 
in  my  far  distant  home,  were  brought  to  my  mind. 

In  every  direction  it  was  dotted  with  immense 
flocks  of  wild  geese,  while  other  flocks  were  flying 
and  cackling  through  the  air.  Although  the  day 
was  far  advanced,  and  but  one-half  our  journey 


ARRIVAL  AT  THE  RANCHO.  243 

made,  the  temptation  was  too  great,  and  we  were 
most  of  us  soon  scattered  over  the  prairie  in  pursuit 
of  the  game.  The  Mexican  officers  with  some  of  the 
seniors  of  our  party  kept  on,  but  Pablo  fortunately 
remained  with  us  gunners,  to  gather  us  together,  and 
lead  us  on.  We  continued  at  this  amusement,  grad- 
ually crossing  the  prairie,  with  great  success,  until 
the  clear  autumnal  sun  was  sinking  towards  the  west- 
ern horizon,  when  we  remounted  our  horses,  laden 
with  the  geese  wc  had  killed,  and  at  a  galloping 
rate  crossed  the  remainder  of  the  prairie.  It  was 
dark  before  we  reached  the  foot  of  the  mountain 
hiirs  which  bounded  this  great  plain ;  we  now  enter- 
ed a  ravine  among  these  hills,  and  followed  it  for 
some  miles,  growing  more  and  more  weary,  and  anx- 
ious to  arrive  at  the  rancho.  From  the  ravine  we 
entered  a  thicket,  and  from  this  emerged  upon  the 
side,  near  the  base  of  a  very  high,  smooth,  round, 
bill.  A  short  gallop  around  this  hill  brought  us  to 
the  rancho,  a  fact  which  was  sufficiently  announced 
to  the  people  within,  and  the  solitude  around,  by 
the  yelping  and  barking  of  a  noisy  pack  of  dog8» 

The  house  at  which  we  drew  up  was  a  good 
specimen  of  the  dwelling  of  a  Mexican  rancho,  and 
as  such  I  will  describe  it,  as  it  appeared  when  day- 
light afforded  an  opportunity  of  observing.     It  was 


J 


244  DON  JUACHIN. 

a  barn  of  a  looking  place,  two  stories  high,  with 
balconies  in  front,  above,  and  below;  not  a  tree, 
shrub,  or  flower  to  relieve  the  barren  waste  about 
the  building.  A  dilapidated  fence  enclosed  a  yard 
in  front  of  the  house,  and  this  yard  was  separated 
by  a  paling  from  what  was  intended  for  a  garden. 
Outside  of  these  enclosures  were '  scattered,  or 
piled  up,  all  manner  of  rubbish;  pieces  of  timber, 
fragments  of  wagons,  beef  bones,  and  horns. 

The  noise  of  our  arrival  brought  out  old  Don 
Juachin  and  his  housekeeper.  By  the  glare  of 
the  light  in  his  hand,  we  saw  several  quarters  of 
beef  suspended  in  the  upper  porch,  and  our  appe- 
tites had  some  interest  in  this  discovery ;  for  in  the 
whole  route  we  had  not,  as  we  expected,  overtaken 
our  ox-cart  of  provisions.  Although  he  had  not  ex- 
pected us  until  the  following  day,  Don  Juachin  gave 
us  a  hearty  reception.  Pablo  lowered  and  lighted 
a  lamp,  which  hung  suspended  in  darkness  and 
gloom  from  the  porch;  and  then,  at  the  head  of  a 
gang  of  shock-headed  Indians,  took  charge  of  our 
horses,  while  we  with  our  host  and  hostess  entered 
the  house. 

To  our  surprise,  we  learned  that  our  cart  had 
not  yet  arrived,  nor  the  gentlemen  who  had  kept 
on  while  we  were  procuring  the  geese.    While  wait- 


DON  JUACHIN.  245 

ing  their  arrival  we  will  become  better  acquainted 
with  our  host  and  his  mansion. 

Don  Juachin  was  about  sixty  years  of  age,  with 
a  short,  squat  figure,  small  body,  and  legs  upon 
which  had  grown  an  ample  stomach.  His  head 
was  round  with  short,  curly,  gray  hair,  and  was 
supported  upon  a  short  neck,  and  surmounted  by  a 
large,  old  greasy  gig-topped  cap,  hanging  over  the 
back  of  his  head,  while  the  vizor  projected  from 
the  top  of  his  forehead.  Beneath  this  twinkled 
small,  shrewd,  merry  eyes,  and  his  wrinkled  mouth 
wore  an  expression  of  humor.  He  wore  a  loose, 
dark  cloth  jacket,  with  the  worn  remains  of  black 
braid;  a  soiled  white  vest  hung  low  upon  his  sto- 
mach, and  a  pair  of  old  dark  pantaloons  hung  in 
loose  folds  about  the  hinder  part  of  his  person. 
There  was  in  his  whole  appearance  a  "devil-may- 
care"  good-humored  air.  A  large  fortune  which 
he  had  inherited,  had  mostly  been  expended  in  a 
life  of  roystering  jollity  and  frolic;  and  all  that  he 
ever  owned  had  been  freely  at  the  disposition  of 
his  friends.  He  was  now  reduced  to  a  remnant  of 
worldly  goods,  but  still  his  hospitality  knew  no 
check,  and  he  was  laughing  his  way  into  the  grave 
as  merrily  as  he  had  laughed  along  the  journey  of 
life. 

21* 


246  THE  SALAr 

The  housekeeper,  who  was  the  wife  of  the  black- 
smith of  the  rancho,  was  in  the  dishabille  dress 
of  the  country,  a  petticoat;  the  skirt  of  red  flannel 
joined  to  a  body  of  white  muslin,  the  muslin  cut 
into  points  at  the  place  of  junction. 

Much  of  the  length  of  the  lower  part  of  Don 
Juachin's  mansion  was  occupied  by  the  sala,  or  chief 
room.  The  floor  was  of  naked  plank,  perhaps 
untouched  by  water  since  the  day  it  was  laid, 
and  therefore  very  much  the  color  of  the  soil. 
Around  this  room  were  old-fashioned  painted  chairs 
and  settees ;  the  settees  at  each  end  being  covered 
with  much  used  cushions.  On  each  side  of  the 
wide  doors  opening  upon  the  porch  was  a  small 
deep  window,  with  small  panes  of  glass  set  in 
clumsy,  heavy,  wooden  divisions.  In  the  wall,  upon 
the  opposite  side  of  the  room,  was  a  cupboard,  con- 
taining the  decanters  of  wine  and  spirits,  with  such 
odds  and  ends  as  made  up  the  glass  and  crockery 
of  the  establishment.  Near  one  of  the  settees  was 
a  table,  on  which  were  some  paper  cigars,  specta- 
cles, snuff-box,  inkstands,  and  stumps  of  pens. 
Around  the  walls  were  suspended  several  common 
looking-glasses  in  gilt  frames,  and  colored  litho- 
graphs of  female  heads  and  landscapes.  But  the 
looking-glasses  were  much  cracked,  and  the  cracks 


T«E  HOUSEHOLD.  247 

wete  seamed  out  by  lines  of  black  fly  dirt,  ■which 
was  freely  spread  from  their  dark  lines  over  the 
surface  of  the  glass;  and  the  same  covering  ren* 
dered  it  diflScult  to  discover  the  subject  of  the  pic- 
tures. From  each  end  of  the  sala,  doors  opened 
into  other  and  smaller  apartments. 

The  household  appeared  to  consist  of  Don  Jua* 
chin ;  the  woman  in  the  red  petticoat ;  Pablo,  well 
dressed  and  cheerful,  who  was  mayordomo,  or 
steward  of  the  place ;  a  dirty  Indian,  with  a  shock 
of  black  hair,  and  a  very  much  soiled  blanket  worn 
as  a  poncho;  and,  finally  a  little  Indian  boy  in 
hair,  blanket,  and  dirt,  an  epitome  of  the  elder. 

The  lady  was  busily  moving  about  after  our  arri- 
val, directing  her  household  matters,  and  as  busily 
smoking  a  cigar. 

While  wo  are  making  these  observations  upon 
the  establishment,  Don  Juachin,  the  red  petticoat, 
the  big  Indian,  and  the  little  Indian,  are  busied 
getting  our  supper.  In  the  mean  time,  the  remain- 
der of  our  party  arrived,  having  taken  a  longer 
road  than  that  Pablo  had  brought  us;  but  they  had 
no  news  of  the  ox-cart  and  Sam,  and  some  appre- 
hension began  to  be  felt  for  their  safety.  Wild 
Indians  sometimes  attacked  the  ranches  tliemsclves, 
and  our  luggage  would  have  been  something  of  a 


248  THE  RANdHP  SUPPEil. 

prize  to  them,  and  no  one  but  the  two  negroes  being 
with  it,  would  have  rendered  it  an  easy  prey.  Not 
a  little  fear  existed,  that  the  men  might  have  been 
attacked  and  injured,  or  killed  by  bears;  however, 
We  still  hoped  every  moment  for  their  arrival. 

The  cigaritos,  snuff-box,  inkstand,  a^^d  various 
articles  which  were  scattered  over  the  little  table, 
were  now  replaced  by  the  decanters  of  "  aquardidnte" 
and  California  wine,  and  in  due  time,  though  a 
worrying  one  to  the  impatience  of  a  thirty-mile- 
Hde  appetite,  supper  was  announced.  Our  host 
conducted  us  into  one  of  the  end  rooms,  which  was 
used  both  as  a  lumber  and  eating  apartment.  The 
floor  was  in  the  same  condition  as  that  of  the  sala; 
in  two  corners  stood  black,  triangular  cupboards, 
barrels  stood  around  the  walls,  and  in  one  corner 
stood  the  table  and  benches.  Large  lumps  or  masses 
of  stewed  beef,  piled  upon  an  earthen  wash-hand 
basin ;  a  smoking  dish  of  frijoles,  with  abundance 
of  bread  and  potatoes,  offered,  at  least,  an  efficient 
remedy  against  starvation.  In  the  middle  of  the 
table  an  earthen  and  a  tin  pot  of  coffee  were  placed, 
and  around  these  cracked  cups  of  various  patterns; 
and  the  plates,  knives,  and  forks,  by  a  correspond- 
ing want  of  uniformity,  indicated  the  difficulty,  in 
California,  of  conforming  to  the  fashions  of  civil- 


RANCHO  CHAMBER.  249 

ization,  and  our  enjoyment  of  the  meal  showed  how 
little  such  conformity  was  required  by  our  real 
wants. 

With  increasing  anxiety  for  our  colored  servants, 
but  without  any  ability  to  relieve  ourselves  from  it, 
our  party  separated  for  the  night.  We  were  as- 
signed a  porch-room,  with  three  beds ;  the  Mexicans 
took  the  sala  and  settees,  while  the  Englishman 
and  Frank  shared  the  chamber  of  Don  Juachin; 
and,  to  complete  our  survey  of  the  dwelling,  it  will 
be  necessary  to  take  a  rapid  glance  at  this  the 
principal  sleeping  apartment. 

In  one  corner  stood  a  heavy,  wooden  bedstead, 
with  high,  square,  unpainted  posts,  hung  with  large- 
figured  calico  curtains.  At  a  short  distance  from 
the  bed,  stood  an  old-fashioned  bureau,  with  large 
brass  plates  around  the  handles  and  keyholes; 
around  the  room  were  benches,  tables,  chairs,  trunks, 
all  covered  with  various  articles — clothing,  skins, 
tools,  candles,  shot,  eggs,  and  old  books;  in  one 
place  was  a  guitar,  and  in  another  a  bag  of  coffee. 
A  window  with  small  panes  gave  light  to  the  apart- 
ment, and,  being  closed  by  shutters  on  the  inside, 
it  was  guarded  by  iron  bars  outside. 

Our  beds  were  clean  and  comfortable.  About 
two  o'clock  in  the  morning  we  were  disturbed  by 


250  sam's  arrival. 

the  barking  of  dogs,  and  voices,  among  which  it 
was  no  small  gratification  to  hear  Sam's.  We  all 
arose  to  welcome  him,  and  hear  his  adventures. 
He  had  had  a  very  hard  time.  During  the  day 
their  oxen  had  given  out,  and  it  was  with  great 
labor  they  could  be  got  along.  After  night  set  in 
the  road  was  soon  lost,  and,  urging  their  weary 
beasts,  the  men  had  traveled  in  great  apprehension 
of  robbers,  Indians,  and  bears.  They  arrived  at 
several  ranchos,  in  hopes  their  labors  for  the  time 
were  ended,  only  to  find  themselves  disappointed ; 
and  the  first  assurance  they  had  of  being  right 
now,  was  Sam's  recognition  of  our  voices  before 
the  door  was  opened  to  him. 

This  boy,  a  slave,  was  remarkable  for  his  inte- 
grity and  honesty  of  character,  and  upon  the  pre- 
sent occasion  it  was  exhibited  in  the  most  devoted, 
it  may  be  said,  chivalric  manner.  They  had  been 
constantly  traveling  from  ten  o'clock  on  one  morn- 
ing, until  two  of  the  next;  but  Sam,  having  been 
placed  in  charge  of  our  provisions,  would  not  touch 
them,  nor  allow  Ned,  the  driver,  to  do  so,  and 
they  reached  the  rancho  in  a  state  of  starvation. 
Having  provided  them  with  supper,  we  made  up  a 
bed  for  Sam  on  the  floor  of  our  chamber.  This 
boy  won  so  many  friends  by  his  good  character. 


DEER  SHOOTING.  251 

that,  soon  after,  his  freedom  was  purchased  by 
general  subscription. 

When  I  awoke  on  the  following  day,  the  sun  and 
the  most  zealous  huntsmen  of  our  party  were  al- 
ready up. 

The  usual  breakfast  hour  being  ten  o'clock,  we 
had  several  hours  to  get  rid  of  before  this  meal, 
and,  while  awaiting  it,  two  of  our  absent  company 
were  seen  coming  slowly  through  a  ravine  in  the 
hills,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  valley,  before  the 
house.  They  were  laden  with  some  heavy  burden, 
suspended  from  a  pole  resting  on  their  shoulders ; 
and,  having  seen  that  we  had  observed  them,  they 
dropped  and  left  their  load,  for  which  Don  Juachin 
at  once  sent  a  horse  and  servant,  who  returned  with 
a  fine  deer. 

The  hunters  had  had  quite  an  adventure,  and  no 
small  alarm.  One  having  shot  the  deer,  the  other 
ran  as  it  fell  to  cut  its  throat,  when  a  large  Cali- 
fornian  lion  sprang  from  an  adjoining  thicket,  and 
immediately  made  off.  It  was  supposed  he  had 
been  watching  the  prey  of  which  the  gentlemen 
had  robbed  him.  We  understood  that  these  animals 
were  not  uncommon,  and  sometimes  were  ferocious, 
but  if  they  miss  their  prey  in  the  first  spring  gene- 
rally retire. 


262  VISITING. 

After  breakfast,  which  was  very  much  the  same 
as  the  supper  of  the  preceding  night,  it  was  deter- 
mined that  we  should  visit  two  or  three  neighboring 
ranches,  distant  six  or  eight  miles,  and  at  one  of 
which  was  living  Alvarado,  the  governor  of  Cali- 
fornia at  the  time  of  its  capture  by  Commodore 
Jones.  We  were  among  a  people  not  accustomed 
to  haste,  and  it  was  well  into  the  afternoon  before 
we  were  ofif.  My  young  friend  Frank  suggested 
that  we  (he  and  myself)  should  visit  some  of  his 
relatives,  while  the  other  gentlemen  called  on  Alva- 
rado, to  which  I  assented,  being  desirous  of  seeing 
as  much  of  this  people  as  my  short  stay  among 
them  would  permit. 

For  some  distance  we  all  rode  together,  when 
Frank  and  I  diverged  to  the  right.  An  hour's  fast 
riding  brought  us  out  on  the  same  prairie  we  had 
crossed  the  preceding  day,  and  between  one  and 
two  miles  distance  from  the  hills ;  in  the  prairie  we 
came  to  a  solitary  one-storied  house,  standing  on 
the  brow  of  one  of  the  prairie  rolls.  This  was  the 
residence  of  Frank's  padrino,  or  godfather,  an 
ofl&cial:  relation-,  which,  in  California,  implies  close 
ties.  The  houses  of  padrinos  and  padrinas,  co- 
madres  and  compadres  (those  who  mutually  hold 
the  relation  of  godfather  or  mother  to  some  other 


COMPADRES  AND  COMADRES.  253 

person),  are  homes  to  all  with  whom  they  are  so 
connected.  During  one  of  my  rides  in  the  interior, 
in  company  with  a  foreigner,  who  had  married  a 
Californian  wife,  he  remarked,  "We  shall  be  well 
treated  where  we  put  up  to-night,  because  the  lady 
of  the  house  is  my  comadre."  I  jestingly  replied, 
"As  that  secures  such  good  treatment,  I  must 
become  compadre  to  some  one  myself  while  I  re- 
main in  California."  "Ah,  but  my  dear  fellow," 
he  said,  "  it  is  necessary  you  should  first  become  a 
good  Christian  (a  Catholic)," 

The  padrino  of  Frank,  whom  we  had  come  to 
see,  was  called  Santiago  Moreno,  which,  in  plain 
English,  would  be  James  Brown.  Santiago,  him- 
self, was  absent  in  Monterey,  for  the  purpose  of 
Belling  some  cattle,  the  chief  stock  and  possession 
of  these  rancheros,  but  the  SeBora  Moreno,  a  fine, 
dark-eyed  woman,  with  three  pretty,  grown  daugh- 
ters, received  us  kindly.  This  lady  was  the  sister 
of  Castro,  the  military  Californian  leader,  who  has, 
since  the  war,  kept  our  forces  following  him  about 
the  country.  The  house  of  Alvarado j^o  which  our 
companions  had  gone,  could  just  be  seen,  distant 
four  or  five  miles,  on  the  edge  of  a  live-oak  grove, 
at  the  side  of  the  prairie ;  and,  after  a  short  visit 
to  Mrs.  Moreno,  we  started  to  join  our  companions, 
22 


254  ALVARADO. 

promising,  howeyer,  to  return  and  lodge  at  Mo- 
reno's, as  Santiago,  himself,  would  be  at  home. 

Upon  reaching  the  house  of  the  ex-governor, 
besides  our  own  company,  we  found  him  surround- 
ed bj  several  of  his  countrymen,  with  drinking 
materials  on  the  table  at  which  they  were  sitting, 
and  from  subsequent  events  it  is  certain  they  had 
assembled  in  furtherance  of  a  political  conspiracy, 
which  soon  developed  itself.  Alvarado  has  the 
appearance  of  physical  strength  and  mental  energy. 
He  is  stoutly  framed,  about  forty-five  years  of  age, 
and  wore  large  black  whiskers. 

In  a  few  minutes  after  our  arrival,  we  again 
took  leave  of  this  band  of  conspirators;  our  com- 
panions returned  to  the  rancho  of  Don  Juachin, 
and  Frank  and  I  returned  across  the  prairie  to 
Moreno's.  The  wild  fowl  tempted  us  to  delay  on 
the  way,  and  we  loaded  our  horses  with  the  num- 
ber we  shot. 

Twilight  was.9hading  the  scene  before  we  reached 
the  house;  wolves  were  now  stealing  over  the 
prairie,  and  frighting  the  immense  flocks  of  wild 
geese,  which  rose  like  clouds  into  the  air,  noisy 
with  their  alarmed  cackling.  It  is  difficult  to 
imagine  a  more  lonely  residence  than  this  of  San- 
tiago Moreno's — it  is  situated  some  miles  from  the 


SANTIAGO  Moreno.  255 

foot  of  the  hills  and  the  edge  of  the  woods,  which 
bound  the  prairie,  and  where  the  rancho  dwellings 
generally  are  placed ;  the  monotonous,  brown-look- 
ing plain  spreads  off  in  every  direction,  without 
any  growth  but  that  of  the  short  grass ;  and  from 
the  time  of  sunset,  through  the  whole  night,  is 
heard  the  howling  of  the  wolves  and  the  cackling 
of  the  geese. 

Turning  from  so  cheerless  a  prospect,  we  found 
matters  in-doors  much  more  inviting.  The  ladies 
had  prepared  us  a  good  supper ;  the  girls  were 
conversational,  and,  although  entirely  uneducated, 
free  from  that  awkward  rusticity  of  manner  which 
characterizes  females  of  the  same  class  and  cir- 
cumstances in  our  country.  "We  were  passing  the 
evening  very  pleasantly,  when  we  were  interrupted 
by  the  return  of  Santiago  himself.  At  first,  he 
looked  surprised  at  seeing  company  in  his  house; 
but  a  few  words  from  his  wife  and  Frank  explained 
to  him  his  position  as  host,  when  ^  promptly  in- 
formed me  that  he,  his  house,  and  all  in  it,  were 
at  my  disposition,  and  became  a  li^le  indignant 
that  I  would  not  assert  my  ownership,  by  ordering 
the  inmates  to  attend  upon  me.  As  he  had  his 
supper  to  eat,  and  insisted  upon  my  accompanying 
him,  both  in  eating  and  drinking,  I  was   glad  to 


256  A  COUNTRYMAN. 

take  refuge  in  bed.  A  small  room  at  one  end  of 
the  building  was  assigned  to  Frank  and  myself. 
Rising  early  on  the  following  morning,  and  taking 
leave  of  Don  Santiago  and  his  agreeable  wife  and 
daughters,  with  thanks  for  their  hospitality,  we 
galloped  over  to  Don  Juachin's  in  time  for  a 
breakfast,  which  our  morning's  ride  rendered  very 
acceptable. 

While  we  were  lounging  in  the  porch  after 
breakfast,  preparatory  to  entering  upon  the  day's 
amusements,  a  stranger  rode  up  to  the  fence  and 
dismounted.  He  was  dressed  in  a  bob-tail  gray 
coat,  and  well-worn  white  hat ;  there  was  nothing 
Mexican  or  Californian  in  his  appearance,  but  he 
had  very  much  that  of  a  mechanic  of  some  village 
of  the  United  States ;  and  such  he  proved  to  be. 
Mr.  Martin  was  a  carpenter,  from  North  Carolina, 
who,  with  his  wife,  had  strolled  across  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  first  pitched  his  tent  where  he  was 
now  residing,  about  eight  leagues  from  where  we 
then  were.  Having  some  business  calling  him  to 
Monterey,  ho  had  heard  of  our  being  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, and  had  stopped  for  the  purpose  of  seeing 
his  countrymen,  and  taking  them  by  the  hand. 
He  appeared  very  much  rejoiced,  and  was  in  high 
spirits,  at  meeting  us.     Meeting  under  such  cir- 


*  ■     4k 

ACCURATE  SHOOTING.  257 

*cumstances,  we  were  soon  as  intimate  as  though 
we  had  known  each  other  for  years.  He  had  all 
the  frank  manliness  of  manner  which  characterizes 
our  backwoodsmen,  and  prided  himself  much  upon 
his  skill  with  the  rifle.  Supposing,  from  our  pur- 
suits, that  we  were  not  very  familiar  with  this  arm, 
he  seemed  ambitious  of  exhibiting  to  us  his  prowess, 
and  was  not  a  little  chagrined  that  we  did  not  seem 
astonished  at  the  skill  he  professed,  and  which  we 
fully  credited ;  but  it  so  happened  that  one  of  our 
party  was  a  gentleman  who  was  celebrated,  in  the 
United  States,  for  his  skill  in  firearms,  and  of  whom 
some  achieygnents,  almost  miraculous,  are  of  well- 
authenticated  record.  While  we  narrated  these 
things  to  him,  it  was  amusing  to  see  the  air  of 
incredulous  surprise  which  came  over  him;  but 
when  the  gentleman  alluded  to,  took  up  a  si^- 
barrelcd  Colt's  pistol,  and  fired  each  barrel  in 
rapid  succession,  and  with  great  precision,  at  a 

''small  mark,  his  countenance  changed  to  an  ex- 
pression of  mortified  gravity,  and  he  merely  re- 
marked, "I  have  nothing  more  to  say." 

Mr.  Martin  told  us  that  a  very  large  grizzly  bear 

had  come  to  the  house  at  which  he  had  slept  on 

the  preceding  night,  attracted  by  the  smell  of  a 

quantity  of  soap  which  was  piled  up  outside  the 

22* 


258  MORE  ARRIVALS.  ^ 

building,  an  article  of  which  this  animal  is  fond. 
They  had  killed  him  by  a  single  rifle  shot. 

With  much  regret  that  he  could  not  spend  more 
time  with  us,  Martin  took  his  departure  for  Mon- 
terey. Don  Juan  Ansar  (in  English,  Mr.  John 
Goose),  the  Mexican  who  had  accompanied  us  from 
Monterey,  also  left  us  for  his  home,  the  mission  of 
San  Juan,  of  which  his  brother  was  the  padre.  In 
compliance  with  his  earnest  invitation,  we  promised 
to  visit  the  mission  on  the  following  day,  and  to 
spend  some  days  with  them. 

I  was  still  on  the  porch  cleaning  my  gun,  when 
I  noticed  one  of  the  heavy  ox-wagons  of  the  coun- 
try, slowly  approaching  the  house.  It  was  laden 
with  household  furniture  and  old  bedding;  upon 
the  top  of  the  bedding  was  seated  a  pretty,  but 
very  common-looking  woman,  dressed  in  a  dirty 
calico  frock,  and  holding  a  dirty  little  child  in  her 
arms.  Her  husband  walked,  driving  the  team,  and 
in  this  manner  was  moving  his  family  and  household 
goods  to  some  new  dwelling-place.  Don  J-uachin 
went  out  and  met  the  family,  although  unknown 
to  him,  broiight  them  in,  and  had  them  served  with 
breakfast.  It  appeared  to  be  the  practice  with  all 
who  passed  that  way,  to  enter  the  house  and  par- 
take of  the  meals,  which  were  given  and  received 


oRsio.  259 

as  a  matter  of  custom  and  right.  '  I  observed  also 
that  it  was  the  usage,  as  we  rose  from  the  table,  for 
the  guests  to  turn  to  the  host  and  say,  "Mil  gracios, 
seiior"  (a  thousand  thanks,  sir),  to  which  he  replied, 
"Buen  provecho"  (you  are  welcome).  I  knew  a 
traveler  to  ride  up  to  the  door,  and  send  in  word 
that  he  wanted  his  dinner,  but  could  not  dismount. 
Without  any  remark  being  made,  or  questions 
asked,  Don  Juachin  filled  a  plate  and  sent  it  out  to 
him. 

Among  these  chance  visitors  at  the  rancho,  was 
a  respectable-looking  person,  named  Orsio.  He 
was  a  large,  dark,  grave-looking  man,  and  neither 
in  manner  or  costume  resembling  a  Mexican,  wear- 
ing a  black  coat  and  hat,  after  our  own  fashion. 
He  was  taciturn,  but  affable,  and  during  his  stay 
with  us  showed  himself  to  be  a  good  shot,  and 
familiar  with  firearms.  He  left,  promising  to  meet 
us  again  at  the  mission.  We  shall  see  more  of 
him,  and  shall  once  more  meet  the  woman  of  the 
ox-cart. 


260  MISSIONS. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

Missions — Mission  of  San  Juan — Padre  church — Dinner — Prepar- 
.   ing  for  a  ball — The  musicians — La  son — Improvising. 

Before  the  revolution,  the  chief,  indeed,  the  onl j 
seats  of  civilization  in  California,  were  the  Catholic 
missions.  These,  with  their  various  buildings, 
formed  small  villages,  and  controlled  and  directed 
the  Indians  within  their  influence.  The  ecclesiastics 
of  the  missions,  with  the  semi-converted  Indians 
for  laborers,  were  the  only  cultivators  of  the  soil ; 
and  beneath  their  care,  and  in  their  vicinity,  or- 
chards and  gardens  beautified  the  wilderness ;  and 
their  doors  were  always  opened  to  the  accommoda- 
tion of  any  wayfarer  in  this  lonely  land.  After 
the  revolution,  and  the  establishment  of  the  republic, 
these  missions  had  fallen  into  decay,  and  are  now 
but  curious  remains  of  the  past,  and  of  these  none 
will  be  found  in  a  few  years  more. 

San  Juan,  which  we  were  about  to  visit,  was  one 
of  the  principal  of  these  establishments,  and  was 


RIDE  TO  THE  MISSION  OF  SAN  JUAN.  261 

distant  eight  miles,  farther  in  the  interior,  from  the 
rancho  of  Don  Juachin. 

It  was  twelve  o'clock,  or  as  soon  as  possible  after 
breakfast,  on  a  bright  day,  the  14th  of  November, 
that  we  started  for  the  mission.  For  some  distance 
our  road  was  along  the  edge  of  a  small  stream  and 
thicket  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  upon  which  the  rancho 
stood;  leaving  this,  we  entered  one  of  the  narrow 
ravines,  which  serve  as  passes  through  these  mount- 
ains, which,  smooth  and  rounded,  destitute  of  trees, 
and  covered  only  with  brown  grass  and  wild  rye, 
shut  us  in  on  either  side.  Many  deer,  from  time 
to  time,  showed  themselves  on  the  hill-tops,  watch- 
ing our  movements.  Our  road,  as  it  progressed, 
gradually  ascended,  until,  by  the  time  we  had 
passed  through  this  mountain  range,  we  were  nearly 
on  a  level  with  its  summit.  From  this  point,  at 
which  the  road  commenced  descending  rapidly  on 
the  other  side,  our  vision  ranged  over  an  expanded 
scene,  impressing  us  at  once  with  a  sense  of  wild, 
yet  calm  loveliness.  One  of  the  immense  prairies 
or  plains  of  this  country  stretched  away  to  a  far- 
distant  range  of  brown,  naked  mountains,  similar 
to  that  about  us.  No  forest,  trees,  or  dwelling, 
varied  the  scene,  but  herds  of  cattle,  dotting  the 
prairie  in  all  directions;  these,  in  the  distance, 


262  MISSIONS  OF  SAN  JUAN  AND  PADRE. 

diminished  to  mere  specks,  were  the  only  signs  of  ■ 
life.  The  whole  scene  was  golden  with  the  bril- 
liancy of  the  unclouded  sun.  Descending  from  the 
hills,  at  their  feet  we  were  upon  a  narrow  strip  of 
plain,  elevated  some  thirty  or  forty  feet  above  the 
prairie  which  spread  out  beneath  us.  A  ride  of  a 
,  mile  along  this  strip,  brought  us  to  the  mission. 

Through  an  avenue  of  trees  planted  with  great 
regularity  on  each  side  of  the  road,  we  entered 
what  might  be  called  a  village,  built  around  three 
sides  of  a  large  square.  The  fourth  side  was  open 
to  the  prairie. 

With  our  faces  toward  this  expanse,  on  our  right 
and  back  of  us  were  the  dwellings  and  shops  of 
the  villagers;  the  whole  of  the  left  was  occupied  by 
the  ecclesiastical  or  mission  establishment. 

Along  the  whole  length  of  the  building,  for  more 
than  three  hundred  feet,  ran  a  paved  portico,  opened 
upon  from  the  square,  by  a  range  of  white-washed 
arches.  In  the  centre  an  arch,  double  the  width 
of  the  others,  indicated  the  entrance  to  the  build- 
ing. At  the  right  extremity  of  this  long  building, 
on  the  edge  of  the  blufif,  overlooking  the  prairie, 
stood  the  mission  church.  In  front  of  the  church 
a  heavy  wooden  frame,   sustained  three  verdigris 


MISSION  OF  SAN  JUAN.  263 

covered  bells,  entirely  exposed  to  the  weather,  each 
one  bearing  the  name  of  a  saint. 

As  our  party  rode  up  to  the  archway  of  double 
width,  we  were  received  by  our  former  companion, 
Don  Juan  Ansar,  and  his  brother,  the  padre. 

Padre  Ansar  wore  the  coarse  gray  habit  of  the 
Franciscans,  and  a  handkerchief,  tied  horizontally 
around  his  head,  less  exposed  his  crown.  He  was 
about  fifty  years  of  age,  of  good  figure,  face,  and 
features;  what  anywhere  would  be  called  a  fine- 
looking  man,  with  an  expression  of  cheerfulness 
and  good-nature. 

He  received  us  with  great  urbanity  and  cordi- 
ality, and  conducted  us  to  the  sala ;  a  long  room, 
furnished  in  the  usual  manner,  with  chairs  and 
settees,  prints,  and  looking-glasses;  but  the  whole 
was  scrupulously  clean  and  neat.  Upon  brackets, 
against  the  walls,  stood  vases  of  fine  roses,  diffus- 
ing their  sweet  perfume.  A  clean,  painted  mess- 
table,  in  one  of  the  corners,  was  set  with  wine, 
brandy,  cheese,  cakes,  and,  to  us  an  unusual  luxury, 
a  pitcher  of  fresh,  cold  spring  water.  Having 
partaken  of  this  refreshment,  we  were  shown  to 
our  apartments;  these  were  part  of  a  series  of 
rooms,  opening  one  into  another,  along  the  length 
of  the  building.     Each  apartment  communicated, 


264  MISSION  or  san  juan. 

by  a  door  and  barred  window,  with  tbe  portico, 
and,  besides  this  window,  a  small,  grated  opening 
was  in  each  door. 

The  rooms  assigned  us,  contained  inviting  look- 
ing beds  with  clean  sheets,  neat  spreads,  and  ruffled 
pillow-cases.  One  of  them  was  hung  with  white 
curtains,  separated  by  broad,  silver  hooks,  suspend- 
ed by  ribbons  from  the  tester. 

The  whole  establishment  evidenced  some  female 
providency ;  and,  in  confirmation  of  this  inference, 
we  soon  saw  a  little  woman  with  a  smiling,  good- 
tempered  face,  bustling  about  the  premises,  followed 
by  two  neatly  dressed  children.  This  dame  was 
the  padre's  housekeeper.  ■ 

The  fine  situation  and  beautiful  view  of  the  mis- 
sion ;  the  air  of  cleanliness,  neatness,  and  comfort, 
which  pervaded  it,  induced  us  to  send  to  the  rancho 
for  our  luggage,  and  to  pass  the  remainder  of  our 
visit  to  the  country  at  this  place. 

When,  some  years  ago,  troubles  began  to  arise, 
between  the  United  States  and  Mexico,  and  war 
was  threatened,  General  Micheltoreno  received 
orders  to  prepare  for  the  defence  of  California,  but 
to  treat  our  countrymen  politely.  He  thereupon 
sent  some  large  guns,  from  Monterey,  up  to  the 
mission  of  San  Juan,  believing,  most  probably,  that 


THE  MISSION  CHURCH.  265' 

ttey  could  not  be  protected,  and  were  too  much  ex- 
posed, in  the  fort.  These  guns  were  at  the  time  of 
our  visit  lying  on  the  ground  in  front  of  the  port- 
ico of  the  priest's  house.  They  were  five  in  num- 
ber, handsome,  highly  ornamented  brass  pieces, 
covered  with  mouldii^gs  and  inscriptions,  each  gun 
being  designated  by  some  holy  name.  On  one,  was 
moulded  the  name  "Jesus;"  on  another,  "Sol- 
varro."  Three  of  them  were  dated  respectively, 
1673,  1675,  1769,  and  were  constructed  in  Lima 
and  Manila. 

From  a  survey  of  the  guns,  I  strolled  into  the 
church.  It  was  quite  a  commodious  edifice,  and 
along  the  walls  on  each  side  were  full  length,  coarse 
paintings  of  various  saints.  The  altar  was  deco- 
rated with  a  great  quantity  of  trumpery  ornament, 
and  among  other  matters  two  lithographs  of  female 
heads  were  conspicuously  displayed.  One  fine 
painting  hung  in  a  recess  of  the  church;  it  was  a 
portrait  of  Ignatius  Loyola. 

On  one  side  of  the  church  was  the  graveyard, 
overgrown  with  rose  bushes,  laden  with  flowers, 
but  all  matted  in  wild  and  untended  confusion ;  be- 
neath them  skulls  and  other  bones  were  moulder- 
ing. The  other  side  of  the  church  was  on  the  edge 
of  the  hill  which  descended  to  the  prairie ;  at  the  foot 
23 


266  DINNER  AT  THE  MISSION. 

of  this  hill  ran  a  small  brook,  and  on  the  oth^r  side 
the  brook  was  an  orchard  overgrown  with  weeds, 
and  altogether  betokening  great  neglect.  I  omitted 
to  mention  that,  in  front  of  the  mission  residence, 
were  the  ruins  of  what  had  been  elevated  beds,  like 
immense  flower  pots,  which  once  had  sustained 
ornamental  shrubs  and  plants. 

With  all  these  evidences  of  past  taste  and  culti- 
vation, one  could  but  regret  the  ruin  of  what  had 
once  been  such  a  "beautiful  tent  in  the  wilderness." 

If  the  general  appearance  of  things  had  caused 
us  to  be  well  satisfied  with  the  prospect  of  our  re- 
sidence at  the  mission,  our  gratification  was  not  at 
all  diminished  when  we  were  called  to  our  dinner. 

The  table  was  set  in  a  neat  and  cleanly  manner. 
After  soup  we  had  the  usual  Mexican  dish,  puchero, 
or  beef  boiled  with  a  variety  of  vegetables ;  this 
was  followed  by  a  series  of  courses  of  meats,  cook- 
ed in  an  elaborate  manner,  with  rich  sauces.  Each 
dish  came  in  separately,  and  was  placed  in  the 
centre  of  the  table,  upon  a  small,  round  board ;  to 
be  sure,  it  looked  somewhat  unusual  to  see  some  of 
those  rich  stews  served  in  wash-hand  basins,  but 
we  were  where  no  china  stores  furnished  the  pre- 
scribed articles  for  such  purposes. 

It  being,  among  these  people,  a  matter  of  cour- 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  A  BALL.  267 

tesy,  to  partake  of  all  oflFered  you,  we  had  already 
eaten  beyond  necessity  and  comfort,  hoping  each 
course  would  be  the  last,  when  we  were  startled 
by  seeing  a  lamb,  stuflPed  and  baked  whole,  brought 
in.  We  confessed  our  inability  to  do  more  at  pre- 
sent, begged  off  from  this,  and  were  released  with 
a  plum  pudding.  Such  was  the  style  of  our  din- 
ners, during  our  stay  at  the  hospitable  mission. 
Great  mirth  and  good  humor  prevailed,  and  the 
good  padre  was  not  behind  any  in  the  enjoyment 
of  a  joke,  or  in  contributing  one  himself,  y 

Having  finished  with  the  pudding,  and  smoked 
a  cigar,  we  gave  our  host  the  "  mil  gracios,"  and 
received  his  "buen  provecho." 

It  had  been  promised  that  we  should  have  a 
dance  on  the  night  of  our  arrival  at  the  mission ; 
but  as  all  entertainments  of  this  kind,  at  which  I 
had  been  present,  had  commenced  in  the  afternoon, 
and  as  night  approached  without  any  sign  of  pre- 
paration for  such  an  amusement,  we  had  concluded 
that  we  were  to  be  disappointed.  About  dusk, 
some  of  us  visiting  the  houses  of  the  villagers, 
found  the  females  busy  in  ironing,  and  otherwise 
arranging  party  dresses,  all  such  occupations  being 
carried  on  in  the  common  reception  apartment, 
around  which  stood  the  trunks  and  boxes,  which 


268    .  THE  MUSICIANS. 

served  in  the  place  of  wardrobes  and  bureaux. 
The  ladies  informed  us  they  were  preparing  for 
the  dance  at  the  padre's;  and,  accordingly,  upon 
our  return  to  the  house,  we  found  tin  sconces, 
with  lighted  candles,  hung  up  around  the  sides  of 
the  sala.  Soon  after,  the  sound  of  music  was  heard 
on  the  outside,  and  it  proceeded  from  a  harp,  guitar, 
and  violin,  accompanied  by  voices.  The  performers 
stopped  before  each  door  in  the  village,  and  in  this 
way  made  public  announcement  of  the  frolic,  and 
gave  an  invitation  to  it.  Having  gone  the  rounds, 
they  approached  the  residence  of  the  priest,  one 
man  improvising  a  loud,  shrieking  song,  the  rest 
joining  in  a  chorus.  A  large  rabble  of  Indians 
and  boys  accompanied  the  music  to  the  door. 

The  musicians  were  dressed  in  the  costume  of 
Californian  peasants,  to  which  class  they  belonged ; 
and,  encountered  under  other  circumstances, 'might 
have  been  taken  for  banditti.  Handkerchiefs  were 
tied  around  their  heads,  from  beneath  which  hung 
their  long,  black  hair.  Large,  black,  bushy  whisk- 
ers, moustaches,  and  beards,  covered  their  faces, 
leaving  only  a  portion  of  the  cheeks,  the  nose,  and 
eyes  visible^  They. were  in  shirt  sleeves,  with 
gaudy  vests  covering  the  body;  the  pantaloons 
open  down  the  legs,  showing  the  white  drawers 


THE  MUSICIANS.  269 

beneatt,  and  yellow  leather  boots  falling  in  loose 
folds  over  the  ankles ;  from  one  of  the  boots,  the 
handle  of  a  long  knife  projected  along  the  outside 
of  the  leg.  The  black  silk  handkerchief  of  one  of 
the  party  crossed  over  the  face,  covering  in  one 
eye ;  but  this  was  a  particularly  fine-looking  and 
graceful  man,  who  improvised  their  poetry,  or 
songs. 

The  above-described  costume  was  that  of  most 
of  the  male  Californian  members  of  the  padre's 
company.  One  elderly  gentleman  was  present, 
who  was  habited  more  in  the  manner  of  a  genteel 
country  Mexican  gentleman.  He  wore  a  black 
silk  handkerchief  tied  tight  and  smooth  over  his 
head,  a  roundabout  of  fine  dark  cloth,  a  white  vest, 
coming  down  something  lower  than  the  jacket, 
upon  a  round,  portly  person ;  black  velvet  panta- 
loons, with  silver  buttons  down  the  open  legs,  and 
fastened  around  the  waist  by  a  crimson  sash. 

The  musicians  were  of  the  same  rank  as  the 
other  members  of  the  party ;  and  frequently,  dur- 
ing the  evening,  would  change  places  with  those 
of  their  friends  who  had  been  dancing. 

A  strange  mingling  of  costume  was  presented, 
when  the  whole  company  was  upon  the  floor  at 
one  time,  as  in   the   contradance.     The  uniform 
23* 


270  THE  SON. 

or  the  Mexican  oflGicers,  United  States  officers — 
some  wearing  parts  of  their  uniform,  others  in 
ragged  hunting  dresses — contrasted  with  the  bushy 
whiskers,  open-leg  trowsers,  and  shirt  sleeves  of 
the  Californian  peasants.  The  females  were  all 
neatly  and  tastefully  dressed,  and  very  much  in 
the  style  of  our  own  females,  under  the  same  cir- 
cumstances. The  number  of  females  present  ap- 
peared large  for  the  size  of  the  settlement;  but 
many  of  them  had  come  from  long  distances,  to  be 
present  at  the  festivities ;  their  traveling  carriages 
being  the  ox-carts  of  the  country.  Among  these 
visitors  from  a  distance  were  my  friends  of  the 
prairie  rancho. 

In  addition  to  the  ordinary  contradances,  quad- 
rilles, and  waltzes,  we  had  several  peculiar  to  the 
country.  In  one,  called  the  "son,"  one  of  the 
men  claps  his  hands  before  any  one  of  the  ladies, 
all  of  whom  are  seated  around  the  room;  the  per- 
son so  designated  is  compelled,  by  some  imperative 
law,  to  go  upon  the  floor  alone,  and  dance  for  a 
longer  or  shorter  period,  as  suits  herself.  She 
then  waves  her  handkerchief  to  some  man,  who 
takes  her  place  under  the  same  obligation.  Most 
of  the  females  made  but  a  single  turn,  and  then 
resumed  their  seats;  but  those  who  were  conscious 


IMPROVIsrNG.  271 

of  graceful  movements,  remained  up  some  time ; 
and,  in  truth,  there  were  inducements  to  do  so ;  as 
it  is  considered  a  justifiable  compliment,  for  any  of 
the  males  to  steal  up  behind  the  dancer  and  place 
his  cap  or  hat  on  her  head ;  this  she  retains  on  her 
head,  or  in  her  hand,  until  she  returns  to  her  seat, 
when  the  owner  is  made  happy  by  the  privilege  of 
redeeming  his  covering  at  any  pecuniary  value  his 
gallantry  or  generosity  may  dictate.  The  current 
price  was  from  half  a  dollar  to  a  dollar,  and  at 
this  rate  it  did  not  take  long  to  exhaust  our 
pockets. 

Changes  and  incident  are,  of  course,  rapid  and 
somewhat  amusing  during  this  dance;  and  while  it 
is  going  on,  one  of  the  musicians  improvises  words 
descriptive  of  present  circumstances  and .  scenes. 
The  composition  of  the  present  singer  afibrded 
much  mirth,  but  our  imperfect  knowledge  of  the 
language  prevented  us  from  understanding  it.  He 
commenced  his  description  of  ourselves,  by  an- 
nouncing that  a  sentinel,  upon  a  castle  wall,  had 
discovered  our  ship  in  the  offing,  and  then  con- 
tinued his  narrative  down  to  individual  description. 
A  fine,  large  woman,  of  showy  figure,  who  wai 
dancing  in  the  "son,"  he  described  as  a  frigate 


272  IMPROVISING. 

bearing  down  upon  us,  with  all  sail  set  and  stream- 
ers flying. 

The  "jauta,"  pronounced  "hota,"  is  another 
dance  peculiar  to  the  country.  In  this,  all  the 
company  are  on  the  floor,  and  after  passing  through 
some  intricate  evolutions  of  rapid  motion,  the 
dancers  right  and  left  in  the  circle,  dancers  and 
musicians  whooping  and  shouting  at  the  top  of 
their  voices,  until  each  person  reaches  his  place, 
when,  without  a  moment's  cessation,  the  same 
thing  is  gone  over,  and  this  is  kept  up  until  fatigue 
and  exhaustion  forbids  its  continuance. 


THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  END.  273 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

The  beginning  of  the  end — Revolution — Sunday  at  the  mission — 
More  of  the  revolution — Last  night  at  the  mission — Departure 
— Foraging — Return  to  Monterey — Mexicans  march  out,  and  in 
again — Leave  Monterey. 

Whilst  we  were  in  the  midst  of  such  occupations 
and  amusements,  a  ball  of  a  different  and  more 
extensive  character  was  in  preparation — one  which 
was  to  terminate  in  a  change  of  national  destiny. 
We  were  in  the  midst  of  rebels  and  revolution ;  our 
presence,  as  we  learned,  having  been  made  use  of 
to  encourage  the  people,  under  the  idea,  dissem- 
inated by  the  leaders,  that  we  favored  their  move- 
ments. Our  ball  broke  up  about  three  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  and,  just  before  it  closed,  a  letter  was 
handed  one  of  the  Mexican  officers,  which  seemed 
to  produce  some  consternation ;  they  gathered  to- 
gether in  close  conference,  but  told  us  that  they 
had  only  received  intelligence  that  twenty  soldiers 
had  deserted  from  Monterey,  taking  with  them 
every  horse  in  Monterey.  We  thought  no  more 
about  it. 


274  THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  END. 

Most  of  our  party,  after  a  very  short  repose  in 
bed,  were  off,  with  their  guns,  renovating  in  the 
fresh  morning  air,  and  endeavoring  to  repair  the 
effects  of  the  past  night's  dissipation.  When  we 
gathered  around  the  hospitable  and  bountiful  break- 
fast table  of  the  padre,  we  missed  our  host,  and 
supposed  that  he  had  not  yet  risen,  but  learned,  on 
the  contrary,  that  he  had  been  off  at  earliest  day, 
to  receive  the  confession  of  some  dying  sinner,  and 
had  not  yet  returned. 

Soon  after  breakfast,  the  fact  was  communicated 
to  us  that  the  whole  country  around  was  in  revolu- 
tion against  the  Mexican  government,  and  its  re- 
presentative. General  Micheltoreno.  The  revolu- 
tionists were  said  to  be  headed  by  Alvarado,  the 
ex-governor  whom  we  had  visited,  and  Orsio,  the 
respectable-looking  Californian  who  had  been  of 
our  company  at  the  rancho  of  Don  Juachin,  and 
who  had  promised  to  meet  us  here.  Although  there 
was  no  doubt  but  that  all  the  residents  of  the  mis- 
sion were  of  the  revolutionary  party,  yet  none  seemed 
to  avow  it.  We  had  very  good  evidence  of  their 
connection  with  the  affair,  when,  in  the  course  of 
the  day,  one  or  two  men  came  with  an  ox-cart  to 
our  residence  and  carried  off,  without  remonstrance 
or  resistance,  some  lead,  powder,  and  ball,  which 


THE  REVOLUTION.  275 

had  been  sent  up  from  Monterey,  with  the  guns, 
and  deposited  here  for  safe  keeping. 

Much  speculation  was  carried  on  by  the  Cali- 
fornians  about  us,  as  to  whether  or  not  Castro  was 
of  the  revolutionary  party.  When  we  left  Mon- 
terey, his  wife  was  there  with  a  very  sick  child,  and 
now,  with  her  almost  dying  infant,  she  was  with 
us  at  San  Juan ;  and  this  fact  showed  that  her 
husband  must  have  more  connection  with  the  revolt 
than  was  yet  avowed.  Upon  expressing  my  wonder' 
that  she  had  made  such  a  journey,  her  infant  being 
so  ill,  she  replied  that  she  had  heard  her  mother 
was  ill.  Her  mother  was  then  in  the  room,  a  hale 
woman,  and  remarkably  young-looking,  considering 
she  was  the  mother  of  twenty-three  children. 

Our  Mexican  companions  (the  officers)  were,  of 
course,  very  much  annoyed  at  the  turn  affairs  had 
taken ;  they  knew  that  they  were  surrounded  by 
enemies,  and  were  indebted  to  what  was  due  us  for 
any  consideration  of  themselves.  Our  own  position 
was  a  delicate  one.  Our  official  position  rendered 
any  interference  on  our  part  between  the  contend- 
ing parties,  upon  any  pretext,  one  of  great  respon- 
sibility, lest  we  might  be  supposed  to  ally  our 
country  with  the  movement;  and,  on  the  other 
hand,  an  abandonment  of  the  Mexican  officers  who, 


276  SUNDAY  AT  THE  Ml;SSION. 

SO  far  as  appeared,  had  accompanied  us  from  cour- 
tesy, would  have  been  ungenerous. 

The  situation  of  all  of  us  began  to  be  annoying, 
but  we  determined  to  remain  the  time  we  had 
alloted  ourselves,  and  await  events. 

The  second,  Saturday,  night  was  passed  as  the 
first  had  been ;  other  ox-carts  of  country  girls  had 
come  in,  and  the  sala  was  more  crowded.  The 
company  broke  up  between  eleven  and  twelve 
o'clock,  as  I  understood  and  believed,  from  an  in- 
disposition to  trespass  upon  the  sanctity  of  the 
Sabbath. 

When,  on  the  following  bright  Sunday  morning, 
I  first  awoke  to  consciousness,  I  felt  somewhat 
scandalized  at  hearing  the  merry  notes  of  a  violin 
in  the  adjoining  apartment.  I  feared,  lest  some  of 
my  inconsiderate  companions,  taking  for  granted 
that  there  were  no  Sabbatical  observances,  even  in 
the  priest's  mansion,  in  such  a  country,  were  acting 
upon  such  an  idea,  and  violating  propriety ;  and  it 
was  with  some  gratification,  or  rather  relief,  I  found 
the  performer  to  be  our  English  companion,  a  con- 
vent Catholic,  and,  of  course,  familiar  with  what 
would  be  considered  right. 

This  morning,  at  the  appointed  hour,  the  bells 
were  struck,  and  the  church  was  filled — ourselves 


THE  REVOLUTION.  277 

among  the  rest.  The  harp,  violin,  and  guitar,  which 
had  played  so  important  a  part  in  the  dances,  were 
now  placed  in  a  gallery  at  one  end  of  the  church,, 
as  a  sacred  choir.  The  padre  was  arrayed  in  hand- 
some pontifical  robes,  the  handkerchief  had  been 
removed  from  his  head,  and  a  circlet  of  long  gray 
hair  fell  down  upon  his  shoulders.  His  fine  per- 
son, face,  and  costume,  associated  with  his  present 
functions,  were  fitted  to  inspire  veneration,  and  it 
was  difficult  to  realize  that  this  was  the  same  person 
with  whom  we  had  associated  in  the  hilarity  of  the 
dinner-table,  and  merriment  of  the  ball-room. 

As  he  passed  down  the  body  of  the  church, 
sprinkling  holy  water  on  either  hand,  he,  in  a  kind 
and  paternal  manner,  directed  a  special  supply  upon 
us,  as  though  he  considered  it  a  courtesy  to  his 
heretical  guests. 

During  the  morning,  Pablo  came  over  from  Don 
Juachin's,  with  a  long  story  of  sack  and  robbery. 
Don  Juachin  himself  was  with  us,  at  the  mission. 
It  appears  that  the  revolutionary  party  were  supply- 
ing themselves  with  arms  and  horses  from  the  dif- 
ferent ranchos,  and  for  this  purpose  a  party  of  them 
visited  the  residence  of  Don  Juachin  on  the  pre- 
ceding night,  just  after  our  things  had  been  brought 
oflF  by  our  messenger.  They  seized  upon  the  whole 
24 


278  LAST  NIGHT  AT  THE  MISSION. 

armament  of  the  place,  consisting  of  four  old  rusty 
muskets.  Pablo,  unwilling  to  see  so  important  a 
part  of  the  garrison  committed  to  his  charge  con- 
veyed away,  without  some  effort  on  his  part  to 
prevent  it,  managed,  while  the  foraging  party  were 
otherwise  engaged,  to  secrete  two  of  the  muskets.) 
Upon  discovering  this  trick,  Pablo  was  bound  and 
slightly  beaten,  at  least  so  he  said,  but  managed 
to  retain  his  recapture.  We  were  also  informed 
that  the  revolutionary  party  had  forces  stationed 
along  the  roads  and  at  the  river,  to  intercept  all 
persons  going  into  Monterey,  and  all  provisions, 
except  such  as  were  intended  for  our  supplies. 

Our  Mexican  companions  now  gave  us  to  under- 
stand that  they  expected  us  to  protect  them  back 
into  Monterey;  and  we  explained  to  them  that  we 
should  do  so,  so  far  as  we  could,  without  connect- 
ing ourselves  with  the  politics  of  the  country. 

Sunday  night  being  the  last  we  were  to  pass  at 
the  mission,  we  would  on  many  accounts,  independ- 
ently of  our  views  of  the  day,  willingly  have  pass- 
ed it  quietly;  but,  as  night  came  on,  the  sala  was 
again  lighted  up,  and  all  the  preparations  made 
for  another  and  final  dance.  In  addition  to  these 
revels,  the  following  mummery  was  introduced  for 
our  amusement.     A  person  was  laid  out,  habited  as 


LAST  NIGHT  AT  THE  MISSION.  279 

a  corpse,  with  three  cigaritos,  or  small,  paper  cigars, 
in  his  mouth;  a  watcher,  sword  in  hand,  was  sta- 
tioned by  the  body;  another  person,  dressed  to  re- 
present the  devil,  comes  in  on  his  hands  and  knees, 
frightens  away  the  guard,  and  steals  the  cigars. 
This  exhibition  appeared  to  be  very  much  enjoyed 
by  the  spectators. 

In  the  course  of  the  evening,  I  found  myself 
seated  by  a  very  pretty  woman,  well  dressed,  in  a 
white,  muslin  frock,~her  hair  handsomely  done  up 
in  high  plaits,  and  wearing  gold  eardrops.  Having 
entered  into  conversation  with  her,  I  found  she 
claimed  a  previous  acquaintance;  and,  to  my  sur- 
prise, I  recognized  her  as  the  dirty-faced  person  in 
the  blue  calico  dress,  I  had  seen  on  the  ox-cart,  at 
Don  Juachin's. 

Late  in  the  night,  or  rather  early  on  the  follow- 
ing morning,  tired  of  the  noise,  heat,  and  excite- 
ment of  the  ball-room,  I  stepped  out  into  the  open 
air,  and  was  forcibly  impressed  by  the  contrast 
between  the  petty  revelry  within,  and  the  splendid 
grandeur  of  nature  without. 

In  the  clear  sky,  without  a  stray  cloud,  floated 
a  crescent  moon,  amid  bright,  but  pale,  glimmering 
stars.  By  their  light  could  be  seen  the  mountain 
range,  sweeping  in  a  distant  circle,  and  inclosing 


280        DEPARTURE  FROM  SAN  JUAN. 

the  broad,  sea-like  prairie  and  the  mission  settle- 
ments. StarSjjust  risen  above  the  mountain  peaks, 
glimmered  like  diamonds  on  their  summits.  The 
deep,  still  repose  which  rested  upon  this  machinery 
of  the  universe ;  a  repose  the  more  impressive  from 
the  absence  of  the  idea  of  human  existence;  there 
being,  probably,  not  one  human  being  on  all  that 
prairie,  or  the  visible  circle  of  the  mountains;  all 
formed  a  scene,  and  suggested  feelings,  at  variance 
with  the  noise  and  revelry  of  the  padre's  dwelling- 
place,  and  unfitted  me  for  returning  to  the  scene 
of  dissipation. 

Monday  morning  came,  and  with  it  the  prepa- 
rations for  our  departure.  While  in  the  midst  of 
them,  we  were  notified  by  a  messenger  from  some 
unknown  person  or  persons,  informing  us  that  the 
Mexican  officers  could  not  be  allowed  to  depart  with 
us,  but  would  now  be  arrested.  Although  well  con- 
vinced that  there  was  some  revolutionary  chief 
among  our  friends  at  the  mission,  it  was  evident  he 
did  not  choose  to  avow  himself;  we  therefore  con- 
cluded to  send  word  that  while,  as  a  matter  of  cour- 
tesy to  ourselves,  we  should  request  the  company 
of  the  Mexican  officers  to  Monterey,  still  we  would 
offer  no  resistance  to  the  demands  of  any  responsi- 
ble person  or  authority.     The  reply  was,  that  they 


DEPARTDRE  FROM  SAN  JUAN,        281 

(lid  not  wish  to  be  guilty  of  any  rudeness  to  us,  and 
the  Mexican  officers  would  be  permitted  to  depart 
in  our  company. 

After  a  late  breakfast,  our  horses  were  brought 
up,  and  the  whole  party,  including  Don  Juachin, 
and  another  Mexican  captain,  who  had  joined  us  at 
the  mission,  started  for  the  rancho  of  the  former. 
The  padre  accompanied  us  a  mile  on  the  way,  and 
then  giving  us  his  blessing  took  his  leave. 

In  this  narrative  of  our  stay  at  the  mission  of 
San  Juan,  my  object  has  been  to  paint  the  manners 
and  customs  of  the  time  and  place.  If  anything 
appears  in  the  habits  of  our  clerical  host,  inconsist- 
ent with  our  own  notions  of  propriety,  it  should  be 
measured  by  the  different  circumstances  of  educa- 
tion. In  the  performance  of  what  he  had  been 
taught  to  be  bis  clerical  duties,  padre  Ansar  was 
scrupulously  rigid.  It  was  part  of  his  religion  to 
consider  the  Sabbath  as  a  day  of  festival.  But  a 
little  while  ago,  it  was  the  custom  for  Protestant 
clergymen  to  mipgle  in  the  dance,  and,  in  some 
parts  of  Europe,  is  so  still.  The  more  rigid  ideas 
of  communities  in  the  United  States,  and  the  pro- 
gress of  the  temperance  reformation,  are  things  of 
modern  times ;  and  it  is  scarcely  just  to  apply  our 
principles  of  judgment  to  a  secluded  padre  in  Cali- 
24* 


282  DEPARTURE  FROM  DON  JUACHIN. 

fornia,  fifty  years  behind  the  age  in  more  cultivated 
communities. 

Having  reached  the  rancho  of  Don  Juachin, 
we  remained  there  for  the  rest  of  the  day,  and  for 
the  ensuing  night.  While  taking  our  supper,  a 
horseman,  armed,  rode  up  to  the  door,  and,  without 
alighting,  sent  in  for  food.  He  was  one  of  the 
revolutionists,  probably,  watching  our  movements. 
On  the  following  morning  we  ate  our  last  break- 
fast at  the  rancho  of  Don  Juachin.  All  the 
horses  on  the  place  (between  forty  and  fifty)  were 
driven  into  the  corrdl  or  stable-yard,  that  we  might 
have  lassoed  for  us  such  as  we  selected.  Our  kind- 
hearted  host  urged  us  to  select  the  best,  for  he  felt 
assured  that,  as  soon  as  we  left,  every  horse  would 
be  carried  off  by  the  insurgents. 

Our  arrangements  being  all  complete,  we  bid  our 
worthy  host  a  final  adieu,  with  many  thanks,  on  our 
part,  for  his  kindness;  and  as  many  apologies  on 
his,  for  our  poor  entertainment.  We  crossed  the 
prairie  slowly,  hunting  our  way  along,  so  as  to  carry 
some  game  to  our  companions,  and  arrived  at  about 
sunset  at  a  rancho  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  where 
we  were  to  pass  the  night.  The  dwelling-place  of 
this  rancho,  was  a  one-storied  cottage,  of  two  rooms, 
with  dirt  flk)ors.     In  one  room  was  the  mess-table 


FORAGING.  "  283 

and  three  beds;  the  other  was  occupied  by  the 
females  of  the  family. 

Although  the  revolutionists  had  not  been  here,  the 
poor  woman  of  the  farm  was  in  great  distress,  in 
consequence  of  a  visit  paid  her  on  the  preceding 
night,  by  a  foraging  party  from  Monterey,  com- 
manded by  a  Captain  Mexia.  The  woman's  bro- 
ther, a  young  man,  was  expecting  to  be  married 
soon,  and  for  this  purpose  had  collected  a  number 
of  tame  cattle,  which  property  constitutes  the  best 
wealth  of  these  people.  The  soldiers  had  seized 
upon  all  of  them,  and  driven  them  off,  although  the 
poor  people  offered  to  give  in  their  stead  a  greater 
number  of  wild  cattle,  and  fine  flock  of  sheep. 
The  husband  was  absent  in  Monterey,  endeavor- 
ing to  recover  his  brother-in-law's  tame  cattle,  with- 
out which  the  young  man  could  not  be  married. 

Continually  afflicted  by  such  depredations,  the 
population  of  this  neighborhood  were  exceedingly 
desirous  that  some  event  should  arise,  which  would 
place  the  country  in  possession  of  the  United  States. 
The  men  ventured  to  speak  upon  the  subject,  but 
cautiously ;  the  women,  less  prudent,  were  loud  and 
enthusiastic  in  the  expression  of  their  wishes.  They 
had  very  general  notions,  that  somehow  there  was 
more  law  in  the  United  States.    One  of  the  women 


284  RETURN  TO  MONTEREY. 

remarked,  "  that  if  the  soldiers  had  committed  such 
an  outrage  in  the  United  States,  they  would  hang 
for  it." 

Notwithstanding  their  distress,  and  that  an  ad- 
dition to  their  family  was  not  expected,  these  poor 
rancheros  very  kindly  husied  themselves  in  prepar- 
ing our  supper  ;  the  kitchen  being  a  little  reed  shed, 
a  few  steps  from  the  house. 

The  night  was  chilly,  and  we  gathered  around  a 
log  fire,  burning  in  the  open  air,  before  the  house, 
and,  while  awaiting  supper,  mitigated  our  sharpened 
appetites,  by  pieces  of  beef  broiled  on  the  ends  of 
sticks,  held  over  the  fire,  and  nothing  was  ever  eaten 
with  greater  relish.  At  a  lafe  hour,  we  were  served 
with  a  good  supper  of  stewed  beef,  frijoles,  and  tor- 
tillas. A  bullock's  head  was  deposited  in  a  hole 
dug  in  the  ground,  and  surrounded  by  hot  stones, 
that  it  might  cook  for  our  breakfast  in  the  morn- 
ing. After  supper,  one  of  the  young  men  of  the 
rancho  played  a  guitar  for  us,  and  then  we  sought 
sleep  on  the  beds  and  floor,  as  we  could  best 
arrange  it. 

The  following  morning,  after  breakfasting  on  the 
roasted  bullock's  head,  which  all  thought  a  delicious 
repast,  we  started  for  Monterey,  at  which  place  we 
arrived  early  in  the  afternoon,  well  i>leased  at  an 


"  DEPARTURE  OF  THE  MEXICANS.  285 

opportunity  of  resting  from  our  fatigues,  and  our 
Mexican  friends  rejoiced  that  they  had  escaped 
capture.  As  we  drew  near  the  town,  one  of  the 
Mexican  oficers  rode  ahead,  to  give  notice  of  our 
coming,  as  guns  were  trained  on  the  road,  and  the 
arrival  of  so  large  a  party  might  have  caused  some 
alarm.  We  brought  the  last  intelligence  from  the 
interior,  and  General  Micheltoreno  was  standing 
in  the  gallery  of  his  residence,  to  learn  at  the  first 
moment  whatever  we  had  to  communicate.  We 
found  our  friends  in  the  town,  as  they  expressed  it, 
"muy  triste,"  very  sorrowful,  on  account  of  the 
disturbances. 

Two  days  after  our  return,  General  Micheltoreno 
marshaled  his  forces,  and,  with  three  field  pieces, 
marched  out  to  meet  the  rebels,  leaving  Colonel 
Telley  in  command  of  Monterey. 

Early  in  December  1844,  after  about  two  weeks' 
absence,  the  general  and  his  forces  returned  to 
Monterey,  having,  it  was  said,  made  a  compromise 
with  the  insurgents,  promising  to  send  out  of  the 
country  all  soldiers  who  had  been  guilty  of  crimes, 
and  such  officers  against  whom  offensive  charges 
should  be  sustained.  It  was  well  understood  that  this 
had  really  been  a  triumph  of  the  Californians,  and 
had  ended  in  the  overthrow  of  the  Mexican  rule ; 


286  RETURN  OF  THE  MEXICANS. 

but  General  Micheltoreno  had  no  money,  and  no 
means  of  leaving  the  country;  none,  indeed,  of 
communicating  with  his  distant  government.  Im- 
mediately after  his  return,  he  requested  of  us  a 
passage  for  two  of  his  officers,  to  communicate  with 
his  government,  and  for  the  purpose,  as  we  well 
knew,  of  asking  the  means  of  leaving  the  territory, 
which  he  finally  succeeded  in  doing.  The  accommo- 
dation asked  by  him  was  readily  granted,  as,  during 
his  absence,  one  of  our  own  ships  had  arrived,  and 
brought  us  intelligence  that  as  yet  the  pacific 
relations  of  our  countries  were  not  interrupted. 
By  this  arrival,  we  also  learned  the  nomination  of 
Mr.  Polk,  as  a  candidate  for  the  presidency. 

Nothing  at  this  time  seemed  to  require  our  fur- 
ther presence  on  the  coast  of  California ;  but,  be- 
fore taking  leave  of  this  people,  it  was  incumbent 
upon  us  to  give  some  public  entertainment,  as  an 
acknowledgement  of  the  hospitalities  we  had  re- 
ceived. 

We  accordingly  took  a  large,  dusty  room  in  the 
custom  house,  on  the  seaside,  cut  a  door  from  this 
into  a  smaller  room  adjoining,  dressed  and  draperied 
the  whole  with  gorgeous  flags,  and  lighted  it  with 
chandeliers  formed  of  polished  bayonets,  lashed  to 
hoops,  and  there  gave  a  ball  and  supper  to  the 


LEAVE  MONTEREY.  287 

■whole  respectable  population  of  the  place.  The 
company  assembled  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening 
and  remained  until  after  eight,  on  the  following 
morning.  By  ten  o'clock  on  that  morning  all  our 
decorations  were  removed,  and  on  the  ensuing  night, 
December  15,  1844,  we  sailed  for  Mazatlan,  having 
for  passengers  Colonel  Telley  and  Captain  Mexia, 
of  the  Mexican  army. 


288  MAZATLAN. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Mazallan — Smuggling  commerce — Money  smuggling — Disgrace- 
ful proceedings — Laws  required — New  Year's  festivities- 
Gambling — Murder — Peace  or  war  ? — Manzanilla — Acapulco 
— The  bay — Idle  living — Castle — Mixed  languages — A  govern- 
or landlord'^Neigbbors — Gertrudes — Chivalry  or  money — Cal- 
ifornian  expedition — A  small  war — Peace  restored — Tempest 
and  earthquake— 'Testament — Enthusiasm — Secret — Tobacco. 

On  the  morning  of  January  3d,  1845,  we  were 
off  Mazatlan ;  and  as  we  drew  in  with  the  harbor,  a 
boat  was  seen  approaching  us.  At  first,  we  sup- 
posed, from  its  meeting  us  so  far  at  sea,  that  it  was 
bringing  intelligence  of  some  importance  to  our 
movements,  but  it  proved  to  be  the  clerk  of  a  com- 
mercial house,  anxious  to  communicate  with  a  ship 
daily  expected  from  Europe.  We  learned  by  this 
boat,  that  a  pronunciamento  had  taken  place,  and 
all  Mexico  was  in  revolution  against  Santa  Anna,, 
and  we  also  learned  the  election  of  Mr.  Polk  as 
President  of  the  United  States. 

Mazatlan  has  a  fresh,  flourishing,  and  prosper- 
ous appearance,  unusual  to  Mexican  towns.     It  has 


MAZATLAN.  289 

suddenly  risen,  from  a  small  village,  to  quite  a  city, 
upon  a  smuggling  trade.  Large  cargoes  were  in- 
troduced here  without  paying  duties,  and  many 
German,  French,  American,  and  English  houses 
were  now  in  active  business.  The  dwelling-places 
are,  of  course,  newly  built,  and  being  whitewashed, 
give  a  light  and  cheerful  appearance  to  the  town. 
They  are  built  in  the  Spanish  style,  around  court- 
yards, and  are  quite  palaces  in  size  and  elegance. 
Now  that  a  custom  house  is  located  here,  it  is  only 
to  take  bribes  for  admitting  valuable  cargoes.  A 
ship  is  descried  off  the  harbor;  an  agent  goes  off  to 
meet  her,  and  warns  her  to  keep  off  until  she  sees 
a  signal  indicating  that  the  custom  house  has  been 
made  propitious  to  her  entrance,  and  made  so  by 
an  arrangement  which  puts  more  money  into  the 
pockets  of  the  officers,  than  into  the  public  treas- 
ury. A  Mexican  custom  house  like  that  of  Mazat- 
lan,  is  a  kind  of  revolutionary,  or  pronunciamento 
nest-egg.  For,  when  the  season  for  the  arrival  of 
cargoes  approaches,  let  some  local  military  chief 
get  up  a  pronunciamento  upon  any  nominal  princi- 
ples, and  be  successful  for  even  a  few  weeks,  he 
and  his  partizans  divide  the  bribes  accruing  dur- 
ing that  period.  Such  pronunciamentos  occurred 
during  one  of  our  visits  to  this  place. 
25 


290  MONEY  SMUGGLING. 

J 

Mazatlan,  in  common  with  the  ports  of  South 
America,  is  the  scene  of  a  yet  more  disgraceful 
kind  of  robbery,  and  violation  of  law;  money  smug- 
gling. To  avoid  the  export  duty  on  specie,  the 
foreign  houses  smuggle  off  all  they  wish  to  send 
out  of  the  country;  and,  to  their  disgrace  be  it  said, 
the  aiders  and  abettors  of  such  discreditable  pro- 
ceedings, are  the  national  ships  of  the  United 
States  and  Great  Britain;  the  commanders  of  these 
ships  making  fortunes  out  of  the  percentage  allow- 
ed them  for  transporting  the  money  so  put  on  board. 
It  is  generally  done  in  the  night,  and  in  all  guises 
and  trickery,  bringing  the  oflScers  engaged  in  the 
business  in  contact  with  the  lowest  and  vilest  peo- 
ple. Our  boats,  in  some  of  the  South  American 
ports,  have  been  pursued  and  fired  into  by  the  olBGi- 
cial  agents,  whose  interest  it  was  to  detect  those 
engaged  in  this  money  smuggling.  And  not  long 
after  the  period  at  which  I  am  now  writing,  two 
men  (natives)  were  shot  in  a  boat,  carrying  off 
money  at  night.  I'hey  were  in  such  position,  rela- 
tive to  a  United  States  and  British  ship  of  war,  as 
to  render  it  doubtful  to  which  they  were  bound; 
but  the  American  commander  felt  it  incumbent 
upon  him  to  deny,  in  the  public  papers,  that  it  was 
destined  for  our  squadron ;  and,  at  the  same  time, 


MONEY  SMUGGLING.  291 

announced  that  no  money  would  be  surreptitiously 
received  in  the  squadron  under  his  command.  It 
•was  well  known,  however,  that,  previous  to  this 
affair,  one  of  our  store  ships  lay  in  a  South  Amer- 
ican port,  receiving  its  hospitalities  and  protection, 
chiefly  for  the  purpose  of  smuggling  money. 

The  United  States  sqi»dron  did  not  engage  in 
this  business  at  the  period  of  which  I  am  now  writ- 
ing, owing  to  the  fact  that  the  individuals  composing 
the  squadron  were  principled  against  it.  But  the 
British  ships  carried  on  a  wholesale  business.  One 
of  Her  Majesty's  frigates  took  from  the  Pacific 
coast  over  two  millions  of  dollars,  and  the  amount 
of  the  freight  money  induced  the  commander  of 
this  frigate  to  set  aside  the  orders  of  his  admiral 
at  an  important  period,  when  his  services  were 
valuable,  and  to  proceed  with  his  cargo  to  England. 
lie  was,  it  is  true,  tried  and  punished  for  his  course, 
but  I  presume  the  freight  money  was  a  compensa- 
tion for  the  smart  of  his  sentence. 

It  is  but  just  to  say,  the  British  oflScers  generally 
are,  equally  with  ours,  opposed  to  this  vile  business ; 
and,  technically,  the  lieutenant  who  attends  to  it 
for  his  commander,  is  said  to  do  his  "  dirty  work." 
The  difference  between  the  action  of  the  United 
States  and  British  squadrons,  in  relation  to  this 


292        SUNDAY  NIGHT  IN  MAZATLAN. 

business,  attracted  the  notice  of  the  local  Mexican 
authorities,  and  General  Falio,  the  governor  of 
Mazatlan,  spoke  of  calling  the  attention  of  the 
Mexican  government  to  it.  But,  as  the  course  of 
the  United  States  squadron  was  dependent  upon 
the  individuals  composing  the  squadron  for  the 
time,  there  is  no  certainty  that  its  action  would 
always  be  as  creditable,  and  our  government  should 
make  some  stringent  legal  prohibition  against  this 
violation  of  the  laws  of  weaker  nations,  whose 
hospitality  and  protection  we  are  enjoying.  Besides 
the  great  and  disgraceful  wrong  inflicted  upon  those 
nations,  our  own  government  would,  by  such  pro- 
hibition, prevent  a  sacrifice  of  its  own  interests. 
For,  let  the  interests  of  the  country  require  the 
presence  of  the  ships  at  one  place,  and  those  of 
their  commanders  be  invited  by  a  large  freight  in 
another,  we  see,  by  the  course  of  the  America,  what 
might  be  the  result.  The  French  allow  no  such 
infamous  proceedings,  and  hence  their  ships  are 
those  alone  of  the  three  nations  which  are  not  en- 
gaged in  robbing  the  treasuries  of  the  South  Amer- 
ican governments. 

The  festivities  of  the  new  year  were  going  on  in 
Mazatlan;  and,  on  the  Sunday  night  following  our 
arrival,  the  open  square,  or  plaza  of  the  town,  was 


SUNDAY  NIGHT  IN  MAZATLAN.  293 

a  busy  theatre  of  the  national  vice — gambling.  It 
was  thronged  with  a  motley  crowd — Mexicans,  in 
broad-brimmed,  sugar-loafed  hats,  bright-colored 
ponchos ;  Indians  in  rags ;  foreign  sailors ;  girls, 
of  hues  from  the  dark  red  of  the  Indian  to  the  gold- 
en tinge  of  Castilian  amalgamation.  Around  the 
sides  of  the  square  were  tables  with  various  gam- 
bling devices:  dice,  numbered  cloths,  wheels,  cards, 
globes.  The  capital  of  some  of  the  tables  did  not 
appear  to  be  worth  more  than  fifty  cents,  being  a 
small  lot  of  copper  coin.  Through  the  square  were 
tents  and  booths,  where  other  crowds  were  drinking, 
dancing,  or  listening  to  the  music  of  guitars,  harps, 
and  violins.  During  our  presence,  murder  came, 
to  make  up  the  varied  excitement  of  the  scene.  A 
man,  within  a  few  feet  of  me,  was  stabbed  to  the 
heart  and  died  before  the  priest,  who  was  the  first 
person  called,  could  reach  him.  In  five  months 
that  I  was  in  Mazatlan  as  many  murders  occurred, 
for  which  no  arrests  were  made ;  and,  if  arrested, 
the  most  that  would  be  done  with  the  criminal 
would  be  to  make  a  soldier  of  him. 

At  this  time,  our  stay  in  Mazatlan  was  but  for 

four  days.     We  were,  however,  again  off  this  port 

on  the  15th  of  October,  1845,  harassed  with  doubts, 

and  anxious  to  obtain  information  as  to  the  question 

25* 


294  LOOKING  rOR  WAR, 

of  peace  and  war  between  the  United  States  and 
Mexico,  which,  by  this  time,  we  had  reason  to  hope 
was  determined.  We  ran  in,  trusting  to  find  some 
shipping  in  the  harrbor  from  which  we  could  ob- 
tain information,  without  blindly  communicating 
with  the  shore.  Not  a  single  vessel  was  at  the 
anchorage  outside,  and  this  circumstance  looked 
somewhat  suspicious.  Anchoring  some  distance 
out,  it  was  determined  to  wait  a  reasonable  time 
for  the  authorities  to  communicate  with  us,  and,  if 
they  did  not  do  so,  to  arm  a  boat  and  send  her 
cautiously  in.  Soon,  however,  a  boat,  with  the, 
Mexican  flag  flying,  was  seen  pulling  out.  By  the 
officer  in  this  boat  we  learned  that  our  relations 
were  still  pacific,  though  threatening.  The  usual 
salutes  were  given  and  returned.  It  being  con- 
venient to  be  well  acquainted  with  all  the  facilities 
this  coast  could  afford  us,  and  hoping  to  obtain 
more  recent  information  at  Acapulco,  which  is 
within  two  hundred  miles  of  Mexico,  on  the  follow- 
ing day,  October  16th,  we  started  for  this  port. 

On  our  way  south,  we  stopped  to  examine  the 
harbor  of  Manzanilla — a  port  not  placed  on  the 
charts,  and  which  is  reported  to  have  been  discovered 
by  some  runaway  sailors  from  an  American  whaler. 
It  was  found  to  be  a  good  harbor,  inclosed  in  a 


MANZANILLA.  295 

curvature  of  mountains,  with  no  settlement  but 
three  or  four  miserable  huts,  and  five  or  six  half- 
naked  Mexicans.  It  was  evidently  a  smuggling 
station,  and  ours  was  the  first  armed  ship  which 
had  been  known  to  visit  it.  Wood  and  water  could 
be  obtained  here,  but  under  great  difficulties. 

It  was  somewhat  amusing  to  see,  some  time  after 
this,  our  visit  to.  Manzanilla  paraded  in  the  Mexican 
papers  as  a  very  mysterious  affair ;  it  being  probable, 
the  article  went  on  to  say,  we  were  a  pirate,  but 
that  we  were  frightened  off  by  the  bold  determina- 
tion of  the  coast  guard — meaning  the  five  or  six 
half-naked  Mexicans  whom  we  had  seen,  and  off 
whom  we  purchased  a  few  eggs  for  a  bottle  of 
whisky. 

On  the  27th  of  October  we  arrived  at  the  beau- 
tiful harbor  of  Acapulco — galleon-famed  Acapulco ; 
who,  that  has  ever  let  imagination  dwell  upon  the 
golden  treasures  of  Spanish  galleons,  but  associates 
with  them  some  correspondence  in  the  splendors  of 
Acapulco. 

A  narrow  entrance  from  the  sea,  gives  admission 
to.  this  bay,  which  expands  itself  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountains  on  the  left  hand,  so  that,  as  soon  as  the 
hill  on  the  left  of  the  entrance  is  turned,  the  mouth 
is  shut  in  by  the  hills  of  the  opposite  side,  and  we 


296  ACAPULCO. 

appear  to  have  stolen   into  a   mountain-inclosed 
lake. 

The  town  of  Acapulco  is  situated  on  the  shore,  at 
the  foot  of  the  mountains,  at  the  upper  end  of  the 
bay.  Now,  it  is  little  more  than  a  ruin.  Earth- 
quake after  earthquake  has  shattered  its  fine  build" 
ings,  its  fountains  and  aqueducts,  while  a  hamlet 
of  reed-constructed  huts,  looking  like  large  chicken- 
coops,  has  sprung  up  amid  the  ruins.  A  few  good 
houses  still  remain,  but,  being  of  one  story,  they 
make  no  show  externally.  These  houses  contain 
fine,  large  rooms  paved  with  brick,  neatly  furnished, 
and  kept  clean.  Across  the  principal  room  of  every 
house,  a  large,  Guayaquil,  grass  hammock  swings 
diagonally,  and  this  is  almost  constantly  occupied 
by  some  male  or  female  lounger,  smoking  a  cigar. 
The  town  and  the  harbor  appeared  lonely  and  soli- 
tary, there  being  no  sign  of  business  or  commerce 
of  any  kind.  No  one  in  Acapulco  seemed  to  have 
anything  to  do,  but  all  seemed  to  be  living  without 
effort.  There  were  no  stores,  but  a  few  small,  quiet 
shops  of  mixed  merchandize.  The  people  were 
amiable  and  courteous.  On  the  right  of  the  bay, 
near  the  town,  was  the  castle,  built  upon  a  rock, 
with  which  it  seemed  to  be  incorporated.  Judging 
from  external  appearances,  it  was  in  a  very  dilapi- 


ACAPULCO.  297 

dated  condition ;  the  times  did  not  permit  us  to  ob- 
tain admission  to  it;  the  governor  informing  u^ 
with  some  embarrassment,  that  he  was  not  author- 
ized to  grant  us  admission.  Though  peace  still 
continued,  we  learned  that  our  troops  were  accu- 
mulating in  Texas,  and  that  the  Mexican  govern- 
ment had  agreed  to  receive  a  commissioner  from 
the  United  States. 

Having  intimated  to  the  person  who  attended  to 
our  shore  jobs,  that  I  wished  to  hire  a  room  for  the 
time  of  our  stay,  he  immediately  started  off,  and 
soon  returned,  saying  he  had  hired  one  of  the  gov- 
ernor, at  two  dollars  and  a  half  a  week.  It  just 
suited  me,  being  the  sala,  or  principal  room  in  the 
ruins  of  what  had  once  been  a  magnificent  house, 
fronting  on  a  quiet  street,  and  partly  open  to  the 
public  square  and  bay.  Back,  was  the  courtyard, 
around  which  were  the  ruins  of  the  former  wings 
of  the  building,  and  the  remains  of  pillars  which 
had  sustained  a  portico.  With  a  few  chairs,  a  table, 
and  bedstead,  my  castle  was  complete. 

I  had  scarcely  taken  possession,  before  I  found 
that  my  next-door  neighbor  was  an  old  lady  of 
small  stature,  and  vixen  countenance,  and,  having 
some  awe  of  her,  I  determined  to  be  as  agreeable 
as  possible.     She  had  a  daughter,  Gertrudes;  and 


298  GERTRUDES. 

if  it  was  the  maternal  fire  animated  her  deep,  dark 
ejes,  the  tact  of  youth,  and  the  influence  of  good 
looks,  veiled  it  in  soft  and  insinuating  amabilitj. 

This  young  lady  told  me  she  was  the  grand- 
daughter of  General  A.,  who  commanded  this  state, 
and  has,  since  we  came,  been  distinguished  for 
his  activity  in  the  war,  at  the  head  of  his  pintados, 
or  painted  Indians.  We  were  not  long  in  becom- 
ing quite  sociable.  In  a  few  days,  however,  I  found 
that  the  agreeable  chats  of  Gertrudes,  were  likely 
to  be  more  dangerous  than  the  sharp  looks  of  the 
mother.  One  evening  she  appeared  more  silent 
than  usual,  and  a  little  sad.  After  dropping  her 
head  a  little,  and  letting  fall  her  eyelids,  so  as  to 
raise  them  again,  and  unveil  a  fresh  blaze  of  bril- 
liancy, she  commenced,  in  embarrassed  tones:  "Mi 
mamita,"  that  is,  "my  little  mammy,  wishes  me  to 
ask  you  to  do  her  a  favor." 

Here,  the  head  and  eyelids  for  one  short  mo- 
ment dropped.  I  had  just  time  to  relieve  her  from 
her  embarrassment  by  replying, 

"Certainly,  what  is  it?"  when  they  rose  again, 
and  in  a  soft,  round  voice,  peculiarly  fitted  to  the 
Spanish  diction,  she  continued, 

"The  curate  is  our  neighbor,  and  has  been  very 
kind  to  us" — 


THE  curate's  debt.  299 

A  pause,  which  I  filled  up  by  the  remark,  "Yes, 
Senorita  Gertrudes,  what  neighbor  wouldnot  be  so  ?  " 

"And,"  she  went  on,  "he  sent  here  to-day,  for 
twenty  dollars,  which  mi  mamita  owes  him." 

Here  the  eyes,  after  one  deep,  full  look,  were 
gradually  withdrawn,  as  though  the  spirit  sank 
under  the  task  of  wording  a  request,  which  might 
be  better  trusted  to  the  promptings  of  gallantry, 
delicacy,  and  benevolence.  I  was  now  left  to  an- 
swer my  own  question,  "Gertrudes,  wbat  neighbor 
would  not?"  Alas,  for  the  days  of  chivalry!  In- 
stead of  my  hand  reaching  out  the  twenty  dollars 
at  the  impulse  of  my  heart,  both  kept  very  quiet, 
and  my  head  went  to  reflecting,  while  the  soi-disant 
grand-daughter  of  General  A.  calmly  awaited  the 
result  of  her  tactics. 

"Veinte  pesos,"  in  Spanish,  on  a  female  tongue, 
sounded  prettily,  but  "twenty  dollars,"  in  hard  En- 
glish, was  dear  extra  rent  for  a  week  in  the  gov- 
ernor's room,  and  a  little  pleasant  gossip  with  my 
neighbors. 

So  long  as  the  drama  of  delicacy  was  to  be  play- 
ed, I  saw  that  my  part  was  to  be  an  expensive  one, 
unless  I  let  Gertrudes  know,  as  delicately  as  possi- 
ble, that  I  saw  behind  the  scene.  If  the  curate 
could  lend  twenty  dollars,  he  could  wait  for  it,  with 


300  CALIFORNIAN  EXPEDITION. 

less  inconvenience  than  a  not  overstocked  stranger 
could  pay  him.  Very  likely  the  money  was  for  the 
curate ;  very  doubtful  it  was  due  him ;  and  I  fully 
determined  it  should  not  come  out  of  my  pocket. 
I  therefore  crushed  the  idea  of  the  curate's  taxing 
me  to  that  amount,  by  informing  the  lady  that  the 
curate  could  show  his  kindness  by  waiting,  and  that 
I  could  not,  at  the  same  time,  accommodate  him,  and 
make  her  a  little  acknowledgment  for  the  kind- 
ness and  politeness  of  herself  and  mamita;  and 
then  requested  her  acceptance  of  a  small  present. 
The  exaggeration  of  Spanish  compliment  now  flow- 
ed upon  me,  in  full  and  graceful  stream.  Ger- 
trudes would  not  lose  her  present,  because  the  cu- 
rate could  not  get  twenty  dollars ;  and,  during  the 
remainder  of  my  stay,  our  social  relations,  and  the 
pleasant  attentions  of  neighborhood,  were  con- 
tinued. 

The  Californians  having  been  successful  in  ex- 
pelling General  Micheltoreno  and  all  Mexican  rule 
from  their  territory,  were  now  threatened  with  a 
formidable  invasion  by  an  expedition  which  was 
said  to  be  fitting  out  in  Acapulco.  The  Mexican 
prints  were  full  of  this  expedition;  money  was  ap- 
propriated for  it,  and  a  General  Iniestra  appointed 
to  its  command.     Could  the  Californians  have  seen 


CALIFORNIAN  EXPEDITION.  301 

the  condition  of  this  expedition  in  Acapulco,  they 
would  have  felt  no  anxiety  in  regard  to  it. 

A  Hamburg  bark,  and  an  English  trig,  were 
lying  in  the  harbor,  under  a  charter  of  the  govern- 
ment, awaiting  the  arrival,  from  the  interior,  of  the 
troops  they  were  to  transport;  and  here  they  had 
been  lying  for  three  months.  In  the  mean  time, 
nothing  of  the  expedition  had  reached  Acapulco, 
but  a  few  officers,  some  French  mechanics,  and  a 
small  portion  of  the  stores,  in  wretched  condition, 
and  useless.  Among  the  officers  here,  connected 
with  the  expedition,  was  Colonel  Telley,  whom  we 
had  brought  down  passenger  with  us  to  Mazatlan, 
from  Monterey,  some  months  before..  The  French- 
men, and  the  crews  of  the  vessels,  were  dying  of  a 
fatal  fever,  prevalent  in  Acapulco,  and  it  was  plain 
none  expected  the  expedition  to  move,  or  that  Ini- 
estra  would  join  it. 

Our  association  with  the  officers  of  this  expedi- 
tion, and  with  the  Acapulcanians  generally,  was 
of  the  most  friendly  character,  although  each  mail 
might  be  expected  to  bring  us  intelligence  convert- 
ing us  into  enemies. 

Among  the  newspapers  received  from  the  city 
of  Mexico,  during  our  visit,  was  one,  called  "La 
Voz  del  Pueblo;"  containing  the  plan  of  a  proposed 
26 


302  A  ROW. 

attack  upon  Mexico,  taken  from  a  Mobile  paper. 
Among  other  operations,  it  proposed  the  blockade 
of  Acapulco,  San  Bias,  Mazatlan,  Guaymas,  Mon 
terey,  and  San  Francisco.  The  fact  that  some  of 
our  armed  ships  were  appearing  at  each  of  these 
ports,  gave  an  appearance  of  purpose  to  this  plan. 

On  the  night  before  our  departure  from  Acapul- 
co, an  unfortunate  affair  occurred,  which  came  very 
near  anticipating,  upon  a  small  scale,  the  expected 
war  between  the  two  countries. 

Two  young  United  States  officers  were  chatting 
in  a  store,  when  it  was  entered  by  a  stranger,  who 
had,  within  a  day  or  two,  come  from  the  city  of 
Mexico,  and  was  now  drunk.  In  the  spirit  of 
drunken  and  Mexican  affection,  he  attempted  to 
embrace  one  of  our  gentlemen.  The  latter  not 
understanding  the  gesture,  or  disliking  the  saluta- 
tion, pushed  the  Mexican  violently  from  him.  At 
this  moment  a  stout  marine,  partly  drunk  himself, 
seeing  the  scuffle,  and  fancying  that  the  Mexican 
had  attacked  his  officers,  ran  in,  and  with  a  tre- 
mendous blow  felled  the  unfortunate  Mexican  to 
the  ground.  Some  Mexican  soldiers,  passing  at 
the  moment  of  this  occurrence,  drew  their  swords 
and  rushed  upon  the  officers  and  the  marine.  But 
they  were   repulsed,  and   the  store   door  closed. 


A  ROW.  303 

They  however  assembled  in  force  outside^  and  laid 
siege  to  the  castle.  The  prisoners  managed  to 
send  out  the  back  way,  a  messenger  to  the  United 
States  boat's  crews  at  the  beach.  The  seamen,  glad 
of  a  chance  for  a  tow,  came  up  in  a  body  to  the 
rescue,  and  the  Mexican  soldiers  retired,  and  the 
affair  appeared  at  an  end. 

Some  hours  later  in  the  night,  as  I  was  sitting 
in  my  room,  smoking  a  cigar,  a  young  gentleman 
rushed  in  and  informed  me  they  were  taking  some 
of  our  officers  to  the  castle,  and  I  was  wanted  im- 
mediately down  in  the  square.  Upon  reaching  the 
scene,  I  encountered  a  confused  mixture  of  earnest 
and  energetic  tongues,  English  and  Spanish;  some 
five  or  six  of  our  people  and  as  many  Mexicans 
were  holding  up  to  view  bleeding  and  bruised  fingers. 
In  the  midst  of  all  the  noise  and  disturbunce,  an 
old  Mexican  major,  with  thin,  gray  hair,  was  moving 
about  in  great  distress,  and  trying  in  vain  to  make 
himself  understood. 

Upon  explanations  being  made,  it  appeared  that 
the  Mexican  soldiers  engaged  in  the  first  affray 
had  watched  our  people,  and  made  another  attack 
upon  them.  The  old  major  being  near,  ordered  a 
guard  to  take  the  offending  Mexicans  to  the  castle, 
but,  unfortunately,  our  people  did  not  understand 


304        DEPARTURE  FROM  ACAPULCO. 

one  word  of  Spanish,  and  imagined  that  the  major 
was  heading  the  attack  against  themselves ;  our 
people  had  armed  themselves  with  swords  taken 
from  the  Mexicans,  and  cuts  were  given  and  re- 
ceived. A  few  words  settled  the  whole  aflfair;  the 
major  sent  the  offending  soldiers  to  prison,  and  ex- 
pressed his  great  regret  that  such  an  unpleasant 
affair  had  occurred  on  the  eve  of  our  separation. 
Nature  also  got  up  a  war  on  this  night.  Black 
clouds  gathered  around  the  mountains  which  closely 
shut  in  Acapulco,  the  rain  came  down  in  one  sheet, 
the  streets  were  brawling  brooks,  flash  upon  flash 
of  vivid  lightning  gleamed  through  the  darkness^ 
and  the  thunder  rolled  in  continued  reverberations; 
in  the  height  of  the  storm  an  earthquake  added  its 
terrors  to  the  sublimity  of  the  night. 

The  next  morning  was  clear  and  pleasant.  We 
took  our  leave  of  Acapulco,  for  the  north. 

A  gentleman  on  board  of  our  ship  had  brought 
with  him  a  large  number  of  the  New  Testament, 
in  the  Spanish  language,  for  distribution;  and,  so 
soon  as  this  was  known,  a  perfect  mania  prevailed 
to  obtain  a  librito.  While  getting  under  way, 
Francisco  brought  me  the  following  note  from  his 
wife,  which  I  translate  literally: — 


DEPARTURE  FROM  ACAPULCO.        305 

November  4  of  1845. 
Senor — 

My  esteemed  Sir, 

I  have  earnest  wishes  to  have  a  book 
of  the  New  Testament,  which  1  want  for  my  own 
use,  and  two  for  two  persons  who  wish  me  to  inter- 
cede for  them  with  you. 

.  If  I  obtain  from  you  this  favor,  I  will  preserve 
it  for  ever  in  my  memory. 

I  desire  for  you  health  and  a  happy  voyage, 
Marcelina  Angeles. 

"During  our  stay  at  Acapulco,  we  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  becoming  practically  acquainted  with  one 
of  the  benighted  measures  of  Mexican  policy.  This 
government  holds  the  monopoly  of  the  growth, 
manufacture,  and  sale  of  tobacco;  and  it  grows 
very  poor  tobacco  in,  I  believe,  two  provinces;  it 
makes  the  tobacco  into  cigars  at  its  national  shops, 
puts  them  in  bundles,  enveloped  in  stamped  paper, 
and  sells  them  by  authorized  agents,  in  shops  called 
"estancos."  Being  in  the  shop  of  one  of  these 
agents,  purchasing  some  of  the  legitimate  article, 
the  oflScer,  in  a  very  mysterious  manner,  took  out, 
from  under  the  counter,  some  roughly-made  cigars, 
covered  with  a  handkerchief,  and,  showing  them  to 
26* 


306  SURREPTITIOUS  CIGARS. 

US,  nodded  his  head  significantly,  and  hurried  the 
cigars  back  again.  The  mystery  excited  our  curi- 
osity, and,  although  the  cigars  were  not  inviting  in 
appearance,  being  like  what  are  called  plantations, 
we  bought  some.  They  proved  to  be  of  high  and 
rich  flavor,  far  superior  to  any  of  the  legitimates ; 
and  yet  this  tobacco  was  the  growth  of  a  province 
not  by  law  allowed  to  grow  tobacco,  and  where  the 
crop  would  be  destroyed  if  discovered  by  official 
agents,  thus  making  governmental  policy  destruc' 
tive  of  the  valuable  resources  of  the  country. 


GULF  OF  CALIFORNIA.  307 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

Gulf  of  California — ^Dan^erous  navigation — Guayroas — Another 
revolution — Wild  Indians — Start  Ibr  Hermorilla — Traveling  con- 
veyance— Don  Juacbin — Mozos  and  coachmen — Serape — Indian 
hut — An  addition  to  the  party — Primitive  carving,  and  genteel 
eating — The  pozo— A  runaway — Un  Rico — Hermorilla — Agree- 
able quarters — Urtea's  bride — The  doctor  and  the  governor — 
Leave  Hermorilla — Lady  traveler — Who's  master? — A  dead 
baby — A  difference  of  opinion — Return  to  Mazatlan — More 
about  money-smuggling — ^Another  revolution. 

Touching  at  Mazatlan,  at  which  we  learned 
nothing  important,  we  proceeded  up  the  Gulf  of 
California  to  Guaymas,  three  hundred  and  sixty 
miles  to  the  north  of  Mazatlan,  in  the  province  of 
Sonora,  one  of  the  rich  mineral  provinces  of 
Mexico. 

Although  the  distance  was  so  short,  the  current 
and  wind  setting  down  the  gulf,  we  had  before  us 
the  prospect  of  some  days'  passage.  The  chart  of 
the  gulf  being  very  imperfect,  it  was  found  requi- 
site to  take  on  board  a  pilot,  and  the  person  who 
joined  us  in  that  capacity  was  an  Italian,  a  contra- 


308  GULF  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

bandista,  engaged  every  night  in  some  smuggling 
transaction. 

He  ran  the  ship  over,  to  beat  up  on  the  Cali- 
fornian  side,  along  a  wild,  barren,  and  precipitous 
coast,  and  among  islands  as  barren  and  desolate  as 
the  main  land.  Several  conspicuous  islands  were 
not  laid  down  on  the  chart  at  all,  and  it  was  known 
there  were  sunken  rocks,  equally  unnoticed;  there 
might,  most  probably  were,  others  in  the  same  con- 
dition. The  wind  was  very  fresh,  and  we  beat 
under  double-reefed  topsails.  To  avoid  the  strength 
of  the  current,  it  was  necessary  to  keep  near  the 
shore,  and,  under  circumstances  of  such  uncertainty, 
the  navigation  was  somewhat  precarious. 

In  some  places  the  appearance  of  the  Californian 
coast  was  very  peculiar.  The  mountains  rose  in 
perpendicular  precipices,  terminated  by  terraces  or 
plains,  one  above  another,  and  these  were  again 
broken  into  fantastic  shapes,  having  the  appearance 
of  turreted  castles,  and  gigantic  cities,  piled  away 
to  the  clouds. 

On  the  1st  of  December,  being  thirteen  days 
from  Mazatlan,  we  ran  into  the  bay  of  Guaymas, 
which  is  well  shut  in  from  the  gulf,  thickly  studded 
with  islands ;  forming  at  all  seasons,  and  in  all 
weathers,  the   most  complete   shelter,  and  every 


ARRIVAL  AT  GUAYMAS.  309 

tiatnral  convenience  for  refitting  shipping.  Guay- 
mas  is  a  small  town  at  the  foot  of  some  barren 
hills  and  surrounded  by  a  barren  country. 

We  found  the  province  of  Sonora  in  a  state  of 
revolution:  one  of  those  sub-revolutions  which 
distract  Mexico,  but  which  rarely  reach  the  eye  of 
the  world.  It  was  caused  partly  by  political  con- 
siderations, and  partly  by  the  hostility  of  two  lead- 
ing families. 

General  Urrea,  late  governor,  had,  by  his  tyranny 
and  exactions,  rendered  himself  unpopular,  and 
had  been  deposed  by  the  general  government.  He 
had,  however,  refused  to  lay  down  his  gubernatorial 
position,  and  the  government  was  too  remote  and 
too  feeble  to  enforce  its  decree ;  a  revolt  was  the 
consequence;  and  about  a  week  before  our  arrival 
a  bloody  battle  had  been  fought  in  Pitie,  or  Her- 
morilla,  the  capital  of  the  state,  distant  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  miles,  northeast  of  Guaymas. 
More  than  one  hundred  persons  were  killed  in  this 
battle,  which  resulted  in  the  defeat  of  Urrea,  and 
his  flight,  few  knew  to  what  point. 

Circumstances  required  that  I  should  immediately 
take  my  departure  for  Hermorilla.  I  was  in  a  part 
of  the  world  where  migratory  people  cannot  at  plea- 
sure jump  into  a  railroad  car,  or  a  stage-coach. 


310  WILD  INDIANS. 

There  were  no  regular  traveling  conveyances,  and 
as  my  road  laid  through  a  savage  tribe  of  Indians, 
it  was  necessary  to  go  properly  guarded.  These  In- 
dians, mountaineers  as  they  were  called,  from  their 
residence  being  in  the  mountains  skirting  the  road, 
were  inveterate  against  all  whites;  murdering  men, 
women,  and  children,  but  never  robbing.  A  few 
days  before  my  arrival,  they  had  killed  the  men  in 
charge  of  some  bars  of  silver,  leaving  the  silver 
untouched  in  the  road. 

Their  arms  are  powerful  bows  and  arrows, 
pointed  with  sharp-edged  stones.  These  arrows  are 
discharged  with  sufficient  force  to  transfix  a  horse, 
penetrating  the  saddle.  These  Indians  were  repre- 
sented as  being  little  removed  from  brutes  in  their 
habits,  and  their  hostility  to  the  whites  is  instigated 
by  a  desire  for  revenge.  A  large  portion  of  the 
tribe  were  at  one  time  captured,  and  during  their 
captivity  were  horribly  treated  by  the  Mexicans. 
Having  made  their  escape,  they  watch  every  oppor- 
tunity of  retaliating.  Their  plan  of  attack  is,  to 
rush  from  the  mountains,  where  these  draw  closely 
upon  the  road,  commit  their  murders,  and  immedi- 
ately retreat  to  their  fastnesses. 

As  I  was  to  travel  under  the  patronage  of  a 
wealthy  and   influential   family  of  the   place,   of 


STARTING  FOB  HERMORILLA.  311 

course  I  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  arrangements 
for  the  journey,  other  than  arming  myself. 

Between  three  and  four  o'clock,  on  the  afternoon 
of  December  2d,  I  took  my  seat  alone,  in  a  four- 
seated,  four-wheeled,  crimson-lined  old  coach,  drawn 
by  two  mules.  No  provision  could  be  procured  on 
the  road,  but  the  bundles  and  parcels  strapped  and 
stowed  about  the  coach,  showed  that  Dofia  Josefa, 
the  lady  under  whose  patronage  I  traveled,  had 
made  every  necessary  arrangement.  Don  Rafael, 
the  brother  of  the  lady,  a  light-haired,  sandy  com- 
plexioned  young  man,  accompanied  me  as  traveling 
companion.  He  was  attired  in  the  full  Mexican 
costume,  split  pantaloons  and  big  spurs,  and  rode 
a  very  fine  horse.  On  one  side  of  his  saddle  swung 
a  carbine,  on  the  other  a  large  sword.  The  coach- 
man mounted  one  of  the  mules,  and,  Don  Rafael 
at  our  side,  we  rattled  out  of  the  town  of  Guay- 
mas.  Outside  of  the  town  we  were  joined  by  an- 
other portion  of  our  party,  two  men  and  six  extra 
mules,  it  being  the  custom  to  drive  along  spare 
mules  to  take  the  place  of  those  pulling  the  car- 
riage, when  these  latter  were  weary.  One  of  the 
men  was  a  mozo  (boy)  as  Mexican  male  servants 
are  called,  the  other  seemed  something  above  a 
simple  servairt ;  he  was  very  Quixotic  in  his  personal 


312  THE  EOAD. 

appearance  ;  tall,  thin,  and  wiry-looking.  He  wore, 
in  addition  to  the  ordinary  Mexican  costume,  a 
buckskin  shirt,  over  his  under  shirt,  and  he  also  car- 
ried a  carbine  and  sword  at  his  saddle.  Don  Jua- 
chin,  as  he  was  called,  was  of  silent,  but  cautious  and 
respectful  manner.  The  mozo  was  a  dark,  round- 
faced,  whiskered  Indian,  named  Isidore,  pronounced 
E-sid-o-re,  so  quickly  as  to  sound  like  sid'-ra.  The 
coachman  was  also  an  Indian,  called  sometimes 
Gil,  and  at  others  Jose-maria.  He  appeared  to 
be  of  very  varying  disposition;  at  one  time  laugh- 
ing and  talking  in  good-humor,  and  at  another  his 
tongue  silent,  and  his  countenance  clouded  with  a 
dark  and  dogged  expression.  All  these  men,  mas- 
ter and  servants,  wore  the  picturesque  Mexican 
seraph.  This  is  nothing  more  than  a  blanket  of  wool, 
made  by  hand  in  the  interior  of  Mexico.  Seraphs 
Jiave  generally  very  bright  colors;  crimson,  blue, 
and  white,  and  may  be  bought  of  any  price  from 
five  to  fifty  dollars;  it  is  scarcely  respectable  to 
wear  any  of- less  cost  than  ten  or  twelve  dollars. 
The  seraph  is  worn  by  starting  one  end  over  the 
left  shoulder,  passing  across  the  back,  and  over 
the  right  shoulder,  and  then  the  free  end  is  flung 
over  the  left  shoulder,  from  the  front. 

Such  were  my  equipage  and  traveling  compan- 


THE  Indian's  hut.  313 

ions.  The  road  over  which  we  rolled,  although 
entirely  natural,  was  eqtial  to  the  most  careful 
production  of  McAdam,  being  perfectly  level,  and 
its  surface  generally  of  a  fine,  hard  gravel,  and 
sometimes  changing  from  this  to  smooth  hard  clay, 
or  sand.  It  winds  around  and  between  isolated 
mountain  hills,  which  rise  from  a  broad  plain,  like 
islands  from  the  sea.  This  plain  is  studded  with 
a  variety  of  trees,  the  most  abundant  of  which  is 
an  acacia,  called  here  the  mesquit.  These  trees 
are  of  nearly  equal  size  and  shape,  and,  at  a  little 
distance,  have  much  the  appearance  of  our  peach 
orchards.  Ranges  of  wild,  desolate,  and  rugged 
mountains  bound  the  plain  on  either  hand,  gene- 
rally receding  a  wide  distance  from  each  other, 
but  at  some  points  approaching  close  to  the  road, 
and  these  are  the  places  where  the  Indians  make 
their  attacks. 

The  afternoon  was  beautifully  clear  and  plea- 
santly warm ;  but  as  the  sun  went  down,  it  became 
so  chill,  that  I  found  two  seraphs  necessary  to  my 
comfort. 

About  half  past  eight  o'clock,  we  stopped  at  a 
fire  burning  before  a  tame  Indian's  hut.  The  In- 
dian and  his  family  were  quietly  seated  around  the 
fire,  watching  some  beef  ribs  roasting  in  the  em- 
27 


314  THE  Indian's  HUT. 

bers.  The  inan  was  very  dark ;  two  women  were 
by  his  side,  with  their  rebosos,  or  long  scarfs,  thrown 
over  their  heads.  Alighting,  we  took  positions  be- 
side the  fire,  without  disturbing  the  apathy  of  the 
Indians,  or  receiving  the  least  notice  from  them. 
The  women  disowned  their  descent  from  Eve,  aa 
they  never  once  turned  their  he^ds  to  look  at  us ; 
and  the  man  kept  his  eyes  fixed  upon  the  smoking 
beef-bones.  The  only  sign  of  animation,  was  a 
crying  child  in  the  arms  of  one  of  the  women. 

Don  Rafael  and  I  stood  for  some  time  in  silence 
by  the  fire,  as  though  we  had  been  ordinary  and 
accustomed  members  of  the  party.  Presently,  Don 
Rafael  addressed  a  few  questions  to  the  man,  which 
he  answered  in  the  fewest  possible  words,  and  with- 
out taking  his  eyes  from  the  fire.  Some  ordinary 
articles  of  convenience  were  inquired  for,  but  the 
answer  to  everything  was,  "no  hay,"  "no  hay," 
there  is  none. 

At  first,  I  feared  our  visit  must  be  an  unwelcome 
intrusion,  or  that,  in  the  political  disturbances  of 
■  the  country,  this  man  might  be  hostile  to  the  family 
of*  Don  Rafael,  whom,  perhaps,  he  recognized;  but 
I  was  mistaken ;  it  was  owing  to  Indian  apathy, 
and  to  the  fact  that,  night  after  night,  travelers 
came  as  we  did,  and  as  a  matter  ot  course  gathered" 


AN  ADDITION  TO  THE  PARTY.  315 

around  his  fire,  it  being  the  right  of  custom  to  do 
so,  needing  no  invitation  and  waiting  no  thanks. 

While  Juachin  and  Isidore  took  care  of  the  mules, 
Gil  opened  the  bundles  and  baskets,  -which  Dofla 
Josefa  had  provided;  and  we  found  them  to  contain 
an  ample  store;  roast  chickens,  stuflFed  with  olives 
and  hard-boiled  eggs  ;  cheese,  bread,  brandy,  wine, 
pickles,  preserves,  tea  and  chocolate,  with  a  silver 
teapot,  knives,  forks,  plates,  and  tablecloths.  A 
glance  at  our  larder  had  just  been  taken,  when  an 
accession  was  made  to  our  party,  and  one  which 
taxed  all  my  skill  at  conjecture.  Up  dashed  a  lady 
on  a  white  horse,  with  a  boy  of  some  twelve  years, 
behind  her.  It  is  very  difficult,  under  some  cir- 
cumstances, to  fix  the  position  of  a  Mexican  woman 
by  her  costume,  the  attire  of  the  best  people  vary- 
ing from  the  richest  to  the  coarsest,  and  I  did  not 
know  whether  this  one  was  to  join  us  as  lady,  or 
as  servant;  but,  as  a  woman,  she  had  a  claim  to 
courtesy  and  politeness.  I  decided  her  to  belong 
to  the  "  tiers  etat."  Her  appearance  was  evidently 
looked  for,  and  she  addressed  the  mozos  familiarly 
by  name,  and  with  some  authority;  Don  Rafael 
called  her  Jerita. 

Jerita  took  charge  of  the  provision  department 
immediately,  and  commenced  preparations  for  heat- 


516  GENTEEL  EATING. 

ing  water  and  making  tea.  I  had  been  forming 
agreeable  anticipations,  in  relation  to  the  cold 
roast  fowl,  but  Jerita  seized  it  in  her  hand,  thrust 
a  sharpened  stick  into  its  body,  and  then  held  it  to 
smoke  and  blacken  over  the  fire ;  this  done,  she  gave 
it  a  primitive  carving.  Passing  by  Doiia  Josefa's 
knives  and  forks,  she  dislocated  its  joints  and  tore 
it  to  pieces  with  her  fingers;  and  then,  spreading  a 
tablecloth  over  a  low  stool,  she  sat  the  torn  fowl 
before  me,  I  being  expected  to  eat  first  and  alone. 
I  had,  however,  lost  my  relish  for  the  fowl,  and 
made  my  supper  of  bread  and  cheese,  with  a  cup 
of  tea. 

Jerita's  leading-idea  of  genteel  eating,  was  the 
use  of  a  tablecloth.  When,  on  the  following  morn- 
ing, we  were  to  take  a  cup  of  tea,  before  starting, 
and  which  I  wished  to  take  in  my  hand,  she  in- 
sisted upon  spreading  the  large  tablecloth  over  the 
low  stool,  about  the  size  of  my  hat,  and  upon  this 
I  was  obliged  to  set  my  cup  and  saucer.  This 
ceremony  was  used  to  me  alone,  and  I  have  no 
doubt  she  had  an  impression  that  it  was  an  indis- 
pensable usage  of  my  country.  My  bed  consisted 
of  a  tanned  hide,  fine  linen  sheets,  and  a  pillow 
with  a  laced-edged  case.  These,  Gil  arranged  on 
the  floor  at  one  side  of  the  Indian's  hut,  the  family 


AN  ADDITION  TO  OUJl  PARTY.  317 

occupying  the  other,  where  the  remainder  of  our 
party  slept,  or  whether  they  slept  at  all  I  do  not 
kjiow. 

At-  daylight  on  the  following  morning  we  were 
ready  for  a  start;  and  I  then  found  that  Jerita, 
abandoning  the  white  horse,  was  to  be  my  com- 
panion in  the  carriage.  As  she  was  a  good  look- 
ing woman,  of  about  thirty,  affording  me  an  oppor- 
tunity for  conversation,  I  had  no  objection  to  the 
arrangement. 

We  had  been  on  our  way  about  an  hour,  when 
four  men  rode  up  behind  us,  and  saluting  our  party 
joined  themselves  to  it.  They  had  left  Guaymas 
that  morning,  and  must  have  made  good  speed, 
which  they  were  not  disposed  to  relinquish.  One 
of  these  new  comers,  with  an  eagle  eye,  and  Roman 
nose,  and  who  was  mounted  on  a  small,  slick,  beauti- 
ful black  mule,  dashed  up  to  the  side  of  the  animals 
drawing  our  carriage,  shouting  to  them,  and  throw- 
ing his  leg  into  the  air,  brought  his  spurs  upon  the 
back  of  the  carriage  mule  next  him,  drawing  it 
down  his  side.  Isidore  took  the  same  position  be- 
side the  opposite  mule,  urging  him  by  shouts  and 
blows,  and  away  we  all  dashed  at  full  speed.  Is- 
idore and  his  friend  attached  their  lasos,  which 
Mexican  horsemen  always  carry,  to  the  axle  of  our 
27* 


318  THE  POZO. 

vehicle,  thus  adding  the  power  of  their  own  mules 
to  those  in  the  carriage,  and  amid  the  shouts  of  the 
horsemen  and  clouds  of  dust,  we  continued  a  rapid 
speed  for  some  miles.  Whilst  dashing  on  at  this 
rate,  thfe  horsemen  raised  their  arms  with  a  louder 
shout  of  encouragement.  Jerita  told  me  it  was 
because  we  had  just  "hove  in  sight"  of  our  break- 
fasting-place,  directing  my  observation  to  a  white 
house  seen  over  the  trees,  far  in  the  distance,  and 
looking  like  a  castle,  rising  from  amid  trees,  on  a 
considerable  height;  an  appearance  which  was  an 
optical  delusion,  or  one  of  association;  for,  in  re- 
ality, it  was  upon  the  broad  plain,  over  which  we 
were  riding.  An  hour  and  a  half's  fast  driving, 
brought  us  to  this  place,  the  "pozo,"  or  well,  as  it 
was  called  j  a  Mexican  rancho,^with  all  the  desola- 
tion and  cheerlessness  of  such  an  establishment. 
This  was  a  very  -extensive  rancho,  having  many 
thousand  head  of  cattle  roaming  over  the  plain. 
At  one  side  of  the  house  was  an  artificial  lake, 
from  which  the  place  derived  its  name.  It  was 
constructed  by  building  a  thick  mud  embankment 
across  the  foot  of  a  natural  inclined  plane ;  here 
water  collects  during  the  rainy  season,  and  affords 
the  supply  for  the  cattle,  during  the  remainder  of 
the  season.     Instead  of  stopping  at  the  house,  as 


A  RUNAWAY.  31f 

I  expected,  we  drove  around  it,  stopping  beneath 
a  large  tree,  near  the  mud  embankment  of  the 
lake.  Don  Rafael  held  some  communication  •with 
the  establishment,  through  the  men  who  had  joined 
us, this  morning;  but  I  suppose  there  must  have 
been  some  impediment  to  the  usual  hospitality  of 
such  places,  for,  changing  mules,  we  continued  our 
way  to  another  rancho,  the  "pozito,"  or  little  well, 
before  breakfasting.  It  was  one  o'clock  when  we 
reached  the  pozito,  where  we  found  a  son  of  the 
proprietor,  who  allotted,  to  our  use  an  apartment 
in  the  house,  and  Jerita  proceeded  to  the  kitchen 
to  prepare  our  breakfast. 

At  this  place,  I  was  given  to  understand  we 
should  get  into  Hermorilla  about  nine  or  ten  o'clock 
at  night.  Fresh  mules  were  put  to  the  carriage, 
and  by  two  o'clock  we  were  again  o^  our  way.  We 
had  gone  but  a  short  distance,  when,  by  some  acci- 
dent, Gil  was  thrown  from  his  mule,  and  the  ani- 
mals started  off  at  full  speed;  they  left  the  road 
and  rushed  in  among  the  trees,'  seeming  to  insure 
our  destruction.  Jerita  ^tempted  to  jump  out, 
but  I  pushed  her  down  in  the  seat,  where  she  re- 
mained, paralyzed  by  fear.  The  reins  being  short, 
and  resting  on  the  mules'  necks,  we  could  do  no- 
thing but  await  the  result.     It  was  a  fearful  ride 


320  MORE  TRAVELERS. 

among  those  trees ;  we  flew  past  their  knotty  trunks, 
•wonderfully  escaping  them;  the  old  coach,  heaving 
from  pne  side  to  the  other,  seemed  almost  to  touch 
the  ground  in  its  rollings,  and  suddenly  righted 
again ;  the  horsemen  came  spurring  after  us,  and 
two  of  them  reached  the  heads  of  our  mules,  and 
seized  the  reins ;  in  a  moment,  however,  they  were 
torn  from  their  grasp,  and  on  we  went ;  but  we  had 
again  turned  into  the  road,  and  were  dashing  along 
its  course,  when  the  whole  body  of  horsemen  rushed 
by  us  on  either  side,  as  though  racing  against  us. 
They  beat  us,  and  kept  some  distance  ahead,  when 
suddenly  they  gathered  their  mules  together,  in  a 
solid  body,  and  backed  them  upon  the  running 
animals — but  in  vain;  we  opened  through  them, 
and  kept  our  way.  This  manoeuvre  was  repeated, 
and  this  time  with  success ;  the  speed  of  the  mules 
was  sufficiently  checked  to  allow  their  reins  to  be 
seized,  and  an  end  put  to  our  wild  race,  with  no 
worse  consequences  than  the  anxiety  it  had  caused. 
Traveling  very  'quietly  for  the  remainder  of  the 
day,  just  after  dark  we  ^rived  at  a  scattered  group 
of  four  or  five  huts,  and  stopped  near  a  fire,  burn- 
ing at  the  end  of  one  of  them.  Two  wagons  were 
near  the  fire,  one  of  them  having  a  white  canvas 
cover,  similar  to  those  of  our  market  wagons  in  the 


MORE  TRAVELERS.  321 

United  States,  and  the  first  vehicle  of  the  kind  I 
had  seen  in  the  country.  The  fire  was  encircled 
bj  people,  male  and  female,  children  and  adults. 
It  is  a  puzzling  thing  to  tell  the  rank  of  Mexicans 
under  such  circumstances.  These  were  all  sitting 
on  the  ground,  smoking  cigaritos.  As  I  stepped 
up  to  the  group,  I  was  received  with  <!ourteous 
salutations  and  invitations  to  take  my  place  at  ihe 
fire.  The  invitations  were  more  particularly  given 
by  a  Mexican  wrapped  in  a  rich  seraph,  and  seated 
upon  a  low  stone.  Near  him,  on  the  ground,  were 
two  young  men  and  a  pretty  woman,  of  refined  and 
genteel  appearance,  with  a  handsome  little  girl 
beside  her.  Although  Mexicans,  and  wrapped  in 
6erap<?s,  the  young  men  displayed  from  beneath 
them  genteel  European  pantaloons,  strapped  over 
their  boots.  ^ 

Jerita,  my  general  informant,  said  that  this  was 
"Un  rico,"  a  rich  man  and  his  family,  on  their  way 
to  Guadalaxara.  The  remainder  of  the  company 
were  wayfarers  like  ourselves,  who,  with  democratic 
freedom,  were  sharing  the  rich  man's  fireside  and 
company. 

The  man  who  had  joined  and  kept  company  with 
us,  on  the  little  black  mule,  went  on  to  Hermorilla, 
and,  consequently,  would  make  the  whole  journey, 


322  ARRIVAL  AT  HERMORILLA. 

though  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles,  in  one  day, 
with  the  same  mule. 

I  was  surprised  to  see  Gil,  soon  after  we  stopped, 
spreading  my  bed  on  the  ground,  before  the  hut; 
but  when  Don  Rafael  came  to  me  and  said,  "  You 
had  better  lie  down  and  rest  a  little,  we  will  call 
you  when  we  start,"  I  knew  he  had  determined  to 
travel  no  farther  that  night,  but  preferred  to  de- 
ceive me  into  the  measure,  to  telling  me  the  pur- 
pose. I  therefore  threw  myself  upon  the  ground, 
and  when  I  next  awoke  daylight  was  streaking  the 
feast.  I  found  the  party  at  the  fire  just  as  I  left 
it,  excepting  that  the  genteel  woman  and  child 
were  asleep  under  the  wagon. 

Having  taken  our  morning's  cup  of  tea,  our 
journey  was  resumed ;  and  about  ten  o'clock  Jerita 
called  my  attention  to  a  gray,  rocky  mountain  in 
the  distance,  at  the  foot  of  which  was  our  place  of 
destination,  Hermorilla.  In  the  course  of  another 
hour  we  entered  a  suburb  of  small  houses,  and  from 
this  crossed  the  bed  of  a  broad,  shallow  river,  and 
■were  then  in  the  town,  dashing  along  its  paved 
streets,  amid  the  barking  of  dogs,  and  the  curiosity 
of  its  human  denizens. 

I  was  agreeably  disappointed ;  instead  of  a  mise- 
rable Mexican  village,  I  found  myself  in  quite  a 


NEW  ACQUAINTANCES.  323 

city,  containing  many  large  and  handsome  houses, 
at  one  of  the  most  showy  of  which  our  vehicle 
stopped.  I  felt  a  little  mortified  at  my  traveled 
garb  and  unshorn  beard,  when,  dismounting,  I  found 
myself  met  at  the  door  by  several  stylish-looking 
and  handsomely-dressed  females,  very  un-Mexican 
in  their  appearance,  being  fair  complexioned,  and 
attired  in  the  fashion  of  our  own  ladies.  They  all 
expressed  surprise  at  our  having  ventured  upon  the 
road  with  so  small  a  party. 

When  about  to  be  shown  to  my  apartment,  I  was 
conducted  across  a  courtyard,  to  a  wing  of  the 
building,  and  ushered  into  a  small  and  handsomely 
furnished  study,  which  communicated  with  a  large 
and  elegantly  carpeted  and  furnished  drawing-room, 
very  unlike  a  naked  Mexican  sala.  In  the  study, 
or  office,  I  was  presented  to  a  fine,  gentlemanly- 
looking  person,  Seiior ,  and  committed  to  his 

charge.  This  gentleman  was  a  native  of  Spain, 
and  one  of  the  most  agreeable  persons  with  whom 
chance  has  made  me  acquainted.  He  was  a  man 
of  intelligence  and  reading.  Upon  political  topics 
we  had  kindred  thoughts,  and  had  reached  the  same 
conclusions.  Conversation  upon  the  troubles  of 
Mexico,  led  us  into  a  general  political  discourse. 
Ho  remarked,  "there  never  could  nor  ought  to  be 


324  MY  QUARTERS  IN  HERMORILLA. 

« 

peace  in  Miexico,  until  tlie  voice  of  the  people  pre- 
vailed; that  revolutions  were  so  frequent,  because 
each  government  set  up  had  been  an  individual 
despotism,  and  one  must  give  way  to  another  as 

bad,  until  principles  prevailed."     Seiior gave 

me  the  first  intimation  of  the  intended  revolution 
of  Paredes  against  the  existing  government. 

My  room  being  announced  as  ready,  Senor 

conducted  me  to  it.  It  was  on  the  first  floor  of 
,  this  wingi  and  opened  upon  the  flowers  and  shrubs, 
which  ornamented  the  courtyard.  A  glance  show- 
ed that  I  was  in  a  lady's  apartment.  A  handsome 
carpet  covered  the  floor;  in  one  corner  stood  abed, 
with  fine,  white  curtains,  having  laced  edges,  falling 
from  beneath  a  sky-blue  satin  valance.  The  count- 
erpane was  oT  richly  embroidered  pea-green  silk, 
and  the  comfort  of  quilted  satin.  In  the  opposite 
'corner  stood  another  bed,  similarly  furnished,  the 
colors  being  maroon ;  and  between  the  two,  a  hand- 
some piano.  On  the  table,  and  about  the  apart- 
ment, were  the  various  elegant  bijouteries  of  wo- 
man's taste.  In  fact,  a  bride  had  but  gope  out  of 
the  room  as  I  entered  it;  the  previous  occupant 
having  been  married  by  proxy,  on  the  evening  be- 
fore, to  General  Urrea,  the  defeated  head  of  one 
of  the  late  contending  parties;  and  she  had  gone 


MY  QUARTERS  IN  HERMORILLA.  3215 

on  horseback,  to  join  her  husband,  none  but  the 
family  knew  where. 

This  General  Urrea,  it  will  be  remembered,  is 
the  individual  charged  with  the  massacre  of  Fan- 
ning's  detachment.  He  now  boasts  of  having  Fan- 
ning's  pistols,  and  the  surgical  instruments  of  Dr. 
Grant.  Urrea  states  that  the  pistols  were  given 
him  by  Fanning,  with  whom  he  alleges  himself  to 
have  been  friendly,  and  lays  the  whole  blame  and 
responsibility  of  the  massacre  upon  General  Santa 
Anna  himself :  "Quien  sabe?" 

Having   made  my  toilet,  and  taken  our  meal, 

breakfast  they  called  it,  Seiior drove  me  around 

the  neighboring  country,  in  a  handsome  English 
Stanhope.  The  country  is  a  plain  ;  and  is  chiefly 
cultivated  in  vineyards,  which  make  a  very  good 
wine ;  but  it  is  mostly  converted  into  brandy. 

I  found  only  two  natives  of  the  United  States 
in  Hermorilla,  both  medical  men.  One,  Dr.  K., 
was  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  and  many  years 
before  had  wandered  from  his  home,  through  Ore- 
gon and  California,  settling  down  in  this  place, 
where  he  had  been  some  fifteen  years.  He  was 
now  talking  of  returning  to  the  United  States 
alone,  either  by  the  same  route,  or  by  Texas.  As 
this  mode  of  getting  home  seemed  a  sine  qu&  non, 
28 


326  A  COUNTRYMAN. 

I  inferred  his  chief  impulse  arose  from  an  inclina- 
tion for  wandering  adventure.  He  was  a  pleasant 
faced,  genteelly  dressed  man  of  fifty  years  of  age, 
with  white  hair,  a  florid  complexion,  fine  teeth, 
and  an  agreeable  smile;  and  in  character  presented 
a  singular  combination  of  energy,  and  an  ability 
to  take  care  of  himself,  with  the  most  unsophisti- 
cated simplicity.  From  others,  I  learned  that  he 
might  have  been  worth  a  fortune,  but  he  had  not 
the  least  idea  of  his  own  interest,  and  so  little  ca- 
pacity in  money  matters,  that  his  friends  had  to 
take  charge  of  these  for  him.  Among  others,  the 
following  anecdote  was  related  to  me,  as  an  illus- 
tration of  his  determination  and  courage. 

In  the  irresponsibility  with  which  these  remote 
provinces  are  governed,  many  acts  of  despotism 
are  committed,  against  which  there  is  no  protection 
but  force.  A  countryman  of  the  Sector's  having 
found  his  way  into  Hermorilla,  he  was  invited  by 
Dr.  K.  to  dinner;  at  the  appointed  hour  the  guest 
did  not  arrive,  greatly  to  the  disappointment  of 
his  host;  and  it  was  not  until  the  next  day,  that 
the  latter  learned  that,  from  some  groundless  sus- 
picion, his  friend  had  been  thrown  into  prison  by 
the  commandant  of  the  place.  The  doctor  immedi- 
ately ran  to  the  residence  of  the  commandant,  and 


THE  DOCTOR  AND  THE  COMMANDANT,     327 

assured  him,  in  tones  not  to  be  mistaken,  that,  un- 
less his  friend  was  restored,  he  would  flog  his  ex- 
cellency upon  the  spot,  and  shoot  him  as  soon  as 
he  caught  him  out  of  the  house.  The  stranger  was 
forthwith  released.  Dr.  K.  was  represented  to  be 
the  most  popular  man  in  the  place;  and  this  popu- 
larity enabled  him  to  carry  things  with  a  high 
hand.  He  did  not  hesitate  to  beard  Urrea  in  his 
den,  even  when  the  general  was  in  the  most  sav- 
age mood.  Urrea  once  undertook  to  banish  him 
the  country,  and  thereby  came  near  exciting  a  rev- 
olution against  himself.  Before  I  left  my  room 
in  the  morning,  a  servant  brought  in  a  waiter  with 
tea,  coffee,  or  chocolate,  as  I  preferred,  with  some 
bread  and  cake;  this  is  the  Mexican  desayuno,  or, 
in  fact,  breakfast;  from  then  until  what  they  call 
breakfast,  at  one  o'clock,  every  one  is  left  to  what 
best  suits  him ;  but  at  this  hour  the  household  as- 
sembles at  table,  and  this  meal,  in  Ilermorilla,  is 
in  reality  our  dinner ;  nothing  more  than  tea  being 
served  in  the  evening. 

I  had  notified  Don  Rafael  that  I  wished  to  leave 
Ilermorilla  on  my  return,  the  day  following  our 
arrival.  He  seemed  somewhat  annoyed  at  this, 
and  urged  my  remaining  a  day  or  two  longer ;  but 
finding  that  I  could  not  bo  prevailed  upon  to  do  so, 


32B  LEAVE  HERMOBLLLA. 

he  came  to  me,  and  said  business  would  detain  him, 
and  that  he  would  find  me  a  companion  to  supply 
his  place.  I  told  him  I  could  very  well  take  care 
of  myself,  and  did  not  wish  him  to  send  any  one 
with  me. 

The  morning  passed  in  preparations  for  my  de- 
parture, without  seeming  to  advance  them  any,  and 
the  family  assured  me  it  took  all  day  to  do  any- 
thing toward  starting  on  a  journey.  The  men  were 
to  be  hunted  up  from  their  various  places  of  resort, 
and  the  mules  to  be  collected.  I  wished  to  be  off 
by  eleven  in  the  morning;  it  was  half  after  three 
in  the  afternoon  before  we  started.  A  little  boy, 
the  son  of  an  Englishman  residing  in  Guaymas,  of 
whom  I  was  requested  to  take  charge,  accompanied 
me  in  the  carriage.  As  I  left  Hermorilla,  each 
acquaintance  was  particular  in  cautioning  me  against 
the  Indians,  and  some  added  the  consoling  remark, 
that  I  ran  great  risk  with  so  small  a  party  and  so 
few  arms.  Don  Rafael  accompanied  us  to  the  out- 
skirts of  the  town,  under  the  assurance  to  the  fa- 
mily I  had  visited  that  he  wa^to  find  me  company; 
but,  as  soon  as  we  left  the  town,  he  rode  up  to  the 
carriage,  said  "  adios,"  and  not  only  turned  back 
himself,  but  took  Isidore  with  him. 

As  night  came  on,  and  we  advanced  farther  and 


GET  A  RECRUIT.     >  329 

farther  into  the  dreariness  of  the  country,  we  did 
feel  some  little  anxiety  about  the  Indians.  The 
moon  rose  beautifully  bright,  and  altogether  it  was 
a  night  favorable  to  any  murderous  designs  of  the 
savages.  As  we  rolled  rapidly  along  the  smooth 
road,  a  turn  around  some  bushes  brought  us  upon 
a  party  of  horsemen  coming  from  the  opposite  di- 
rection. Among  these  were  several  soldiers,  with 
small  flags  flying  from  their  spear-staffs.  By  the 
bright  moonlight  it  could  be  seen  the  party  was  in 
attendance  upon  a  stately  woman  who  rode  in  their 
midst,  attended  by  her  female  servants.  Although 
we  dashed  rapidly  through  the  group,  she  exchanged 
some  words  with  my  men,  and  immediately  one  of 
her  own  turned  his  horse's  head  and  joined  us. 

"Who  is  it?"  I  asked  Gil. 

"Dofia  Aneta."  She  was  a  relative  of  the 
family  which  I  had  left,  and,  seeing  the  weakness 
of  our  force,  had  ordered  this  man  to  return  with 
us,  to  replace,  I  presume,  the  abducted  Isidore. 

Left,  as  I  was,  to  these  Mexico-Indian  servants, 
I  knew  it  would  require  some  management  to  get 
along  with  them  without  annoyance.  If  I  assumed 
an  air  of  authority  and  the  tone  of  a  master,  they 
would  be  very  apt  to  show  me  their  independence 
by  insolence,  trickery,  and  want  of  accommodation ; 
28* 


330  DEFINING  A  POSITION. 

if,  on  the  contrary,  I  was  familiar,  they  would  take 
advantage  of  me,  as  a  temporary  equal,  or  their 
inferior :  for,  I  have  observed,  there  is  a  propensity 
among  the  lower  classes  in  all  nations  to  look  upon 
foreigners,  who  speak  their  language  imperfectly, 
as  possessing  a  general  simplicity  and  inferiority 
to  themselves,  in  all  things.  We  had  not  much  to 
say  to  each  other  on  the  first  evening,  but  when  we 
stopped  for  the  night,  I  assumed  authority  over  the 
mess  stores,  and  directed  the  disposition  to  be  made 

of  them.  - ' •- 

Continuing  a  friendly  manner  toward  them  on 
the  following  day,  I  found  them  disposed  to  attempt 
the  familiar,  particularly  the  new-comer  whom  Dona 
Aneta  had  assigned  us.  This  man  had  an  in- 
solent, but  waggish  countenance,  and  it  was  easy 
to  see  that  he  rode  up  alongside  the  carriage  to 
converse  with  me,  for  the  amusement  of  his  fellows, 
to  whom  he  cast  side  glances,  seeking  their  admira- 
tion ;  at  the  same  time,  his  insolence  had  a  shadow 
of  timidity,  lest  he  should  go  too  far.  I  deter- 
mined to  stop  him  at  once;  and  when,  during  a 
short  rest,  I  was  taking  some  wine  and  water,  this 
fellow  came  up  and  asked,  "What's  that?  brandy?" 
I  looked  at  him  sternly,  and,  without  replying  to 
his  question,  gave  him  an  order  to  do  me  a  menial 


A  STRUGGLE  FOR  INFLUENCE.        331 

service.  He  looked  abashed,  turned  off,  and  obeyed 
me.  To  cut  him  oflF  from  the  sympathy  of  his 
companions,  I  called  Gil,  and  gave  him  a  little 
money,  to  buy  the  men  spirits  at  the  next  con- 
venient place. 

These  men  knew  that,  under  present  circum- 
stances, they  were  my  superiors,  and  that  I  was 
dependent  upon  them;  and  I  felt  that  I  could  only 
establish  a  proper  relation  to  them  by  demonstrating 
in  some,  however  trifling  a  point,  an  equality  with 
them.  As  arrieros,  or  muleteers,  I  was  sure  they 
knew  nothing  of  a  wheeled  vehicle,  and  the  whole 
equipment  and  management  of  my  establishment 
proved  this.  Before  starting  again,  I  commenced 
a  careful  examination  of  the  carriage  and  its  equip- 
ment, in  the  hope  of  finding  something  wrong,  and 
which  they  would  need  instruction  to  remedy.  To 
my  purpose,  I  found  one  of  the  fore-wheels  nearly 
off  the  axle,  the  pin  which  confined  the  nut  gone, 
and  the  nut  upon  the  point  of  dropping.  Simple 
as  was  the  remedy,  I  trusted  to  their  ignorance, 
and,  calling  Gil,  merely  pointed  to  the  condition 
of  the  wheel,  and  directed  him  to  remedy  it,  and 
walked  away  to  a  little  distance  with  an  air  of  un- 
concern. The  whole  party  gathered  around  the 
old  vehicle,  in  great  embarrassment ;  it  was  "Dios!" 


332        A  STRUGGLE  FOR  INFLUENCE. 

and  "Santa  Maria!"  what  was  to  be  done!  Gil 
overhauled  the  coach  for  another  pin  in  vain.  Hav- 
ing allowed  them  to  exhaust  their  resources  and 
continue  their  distress  for  a  few  minutes,  I  returned, 
and  expressed  some  surprise  that  they  had  done 
nothing,  and  cutting  a  leather  wedge  from  a  spare 
stirrup-leather,  passed  it  through  the  pin  hole,  and 
the  difficulty  was  met.  Trifling  as  was  this  incident, 
it  was  something  they  could  comprehend,  and 
changed  our  relations  as  effectually  as  a  more  im- 
portant matter  would  have  done,  and  eventually 
saved  me  a  night  on  the  road.  From  this  time 
their  manner  was  kind  an^  respectful;  they  hurried 
to  obey  the  least  sign;  and,  when  about  to  start 
after  any  stoppage,  would  wait,  with  one  foot  in 
the  stirrup,  until  the  "Seiior"  said  "Anddmos." 

In  the  morning  of  our  second  day's  ride,  I  asked 
what  time  we  should  reach  Guaymas.  "About  ten 
at  night,"  was  the  answer.  I  asked  chiefly  to 
ascertain  any  intentions  they  might  have  formed 
for  themselves.  I  stopped  to  cut  some  canes  from 
the  curious  woods  by  the  road  side,  among  which 
I  obtained  several  of  the  garambua — a  firm,  elastic 
wood  used  by  the  Indians  for  their  powerful  bows. 
Although  the  acacia  and  guaiacum  trees  abounded, 
there  were  various  others,  and  among  them  three 


•— — ^—     A  ©EAB  BABY.       '-; 333 

kinds  were  called,  from  their  colors,  "palo  negro," 
black  wood;  "palo  verde,"  green  wood;  and  "palo 
bianco,"  white  wood.  The  cactus  was  in  great 
variety,  some  growing  like  clusters  of  organ  barrels, 
and,  at  least,  ten  or  fifteen  feet  high. 

At  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  reached  the 
pozo,  and  stopped  at  a  small  village  near  it  for  our 
mid-day  meal  and  rest.  At  this  place  the  party  of 
the  "rico"  was  stopping. 

While  awaiting  the  reharnessing  of  the  mules, 
I  strolled  to  a  neighboring  hut,  to  light  a  cigar. 
Two  Indian  women  were  seated  at  the  door,  one 
doing  the  office  of  a  fine  tooth  comb  for  the  other ; 
I  gave  each  a  cigar,  and  stepped  inside  the  door. 
Here  were  two  others  sitting;  handing  a  cigar  to 
the  one  facing  me,  the  other  never  looked  around 
or  removed  her  reboso  from  her  face.  I  now  saw 
she  was  the  mother  of  a  dead  baby,  which  they 
were  dressing.  The  body  was  extended  upon  a 
board,  just  its  own  length,  and  the  chief  purpose 
seemed  to  be  to  dress  it  with  all  the  decoration  they 
could  afibrd.  The  toilet  for  the  tomb  being  com- 
pleted, the  body  was  placed  outside  the  door,  on  a 
block,  for  public  view,  the  mother  seating  herself 
on  the  ground  beside  it. 

Eight  o'clock  at  night  found  us  just  in  front  of 


334      ARRIVE  AT  AND  LEAVE  GUAYMAS. 

the  Indian's  hut,  at  which  we  had  stopped  on  the 
first  night  of  our  upward  journey.  Just  before 
our  arrival  there,  I  noticed  a  whispering  conversa- 
tion among  my  men,  which  I  inferred  boded  ill  for 
my  continuing  longer  on  the  road  to-night,  notwith- 
standing one  of  the  most  brilliant  moons  that  ever 
shon^.  Accordingly,  as  we  approached  the  hut, 
Don  Juachin,  the  leather-jacketted  mayor-domo, 
approached  the  carriage,  and  said,  "  The  Senor  will 
sleep  here  to-night?" 

"  Certainly  not;  I  must  reach  Guaymas  to-night." 

"But  the  mules  are  tired." 

"Put  in  others." 

Nothing  more  was  said.  I  kept  my  seat  in  the 
coach.  The  mules  were  changed;  and  at  one 
o'clock  the  following  morning  I  was  at  our  consul's 
in  Guaymas.  I  admit  that,  from  daylight  to  past 
midnight,  was  rather  hard  on  the  men  in  the  saddle, 
and  on  Gil,  the  coachman;  but  they  were  more  at 
home  in  the  saddle  than  I  was  in  the  coach. 

The  following  morning,  December  the  7th,  we 
were  on  our  way  down  the  gulf;  and,  on  the  eve- 
ning of  the  9th,  anchored  once  more  oflF  Mazatlan. 

An  English  gentleman,  who  had  just  arrived  at 
Mazatlan  from  Mexico,  mentioned  to  me,  privately, 
the  same  thing  in  relation  to  an  intended  revolution, 


ARRIVE  AT  AND  LEAVE  GUAYMAS.      335 

which  Senor had  intimated  to  me  in  Hermo- 

rilla;  but  this  English  gentleman  informed  me  that 
it  was  for  the  establishment  of  a  monarchy,  and, 
from  the  kind  of  people  in  Mexico  with  whom  he 
held  relations,  I  had  every  reason  to  believe  he  was 
correctly  informed,  and  that  his  sympathies  were 
with  such  a  movement.  We  also  learned  the  ar- 
rival in  Mexico  of  a  commissioner  from  the  United 
States,  but  did  not  know  who  the  gentleman  was 
until  the  mail  of  the  following  Sunday. 

The  Mexican  papers,  received  by  this  mail,  pub- 
lish a  letter  received  from  Mazatlan,  in  which  we 
were  very  severely  abused,  and  charged,  as  a  great 
offence,  with  the  manners  of  coachmen ;  some  rude- 
ness was  detailed,  said  to  have  been  shown  a  secre- 
tary of  the  military  commandant.  General  Facio, 
who  visited  the  flag-ship.  It  so  happened  that  the 
most  friendly  and  courteous  intercourse  existed 
between  ourselves  and  the  authorities,  and  our 
social  relations  with  General  Facio  and  his  family 
were  of  the  most  intimate  character.  The  paper 
was  sent  to  the  general,  and  he  at  once  character- 
ized it  as  a  blackguard  affair,  to  which  the  lie  would 
be  given  by  the  footing  upon  which  we  were  with 
himself  and  family. 

Some  open  boats,  belonging  to  a  British  man-of- 


336  MORE  ABOUT  MONEY  SMUGGLING. 

war,  were  at  this  time  in  the  harbor  of  Mazatlan, 
engaged  in  money-smuggling;  the  vessel  to  which 
they  belonged  being  absent  on  another  part  of  the 
coast,  engaged  in  the  same  business.  An  English 
merchant,  who  had  availed  himself  liberally  of  the 
facilities  afforded  by  his  national  ships,  made  the 
following  observation  to  me  when  we  were  speaking 
upon  the  subject:  "You  would  be  amused  to  hear 
the  ground  of  expediency  upon  which  Captain  G. 
justifies  the  assistance  he  affords  us — the  wretched 
laws  of  the  country;  but  you  know  there  is  one 
answer  to  that :  we  knew  the  laws  when  we  came 
to  live  under  them.  No !  it  is  dishonest  and  de- 
moralizing ;  and  it  is  degrading  to  see  our  national 
flag  used  for  such  purposes,  and  a  naval  commander 
chaffering  with  us  merchants  for  percentages;  but 
it  is  very  convenient  for  us."       .  ._  „'  .„  . :... 

Such  remarks,  made  to  an  American  officer  by 
an  Englishman,  illustrate  the  beneficial  influence 
exerted  on  this  coast  by  the  then  United  States 
squadron;  and  it  should  be  remembered,  that,  in 
paying  the  tribute  to  principle,  it  sacrificed  pecu- 
niary advantages,  and  did  voluntarily  what  the 
laws  of  our  country  should  render  obligatory. 

At  length  came  the  "pronunciamento"  of  Pa- 


ANOTHER  REVOLUTION.  337 

redes — a  singular  document,  verifying  the  suspicion 
that  monarchy  was  aimed  at. 

It  states,  that  the  army  sets  aside  the  govern- 
ment; that  the  people  of  all  classes  shall  form 
chambers ;  and  that  these  chambers,  without  any 
restriction  tvhatever,  shall  form  the  government; 
and  that  the  chief  of  the  army  shall  not  be  the 
ruler  of  the  nation.  Similar  documents,  hereto- 
fore, have  said,  "  shall  form  the  government  with 
republicanism,  and  the  Catholic  religion  as  basis." 

Other  of  our  national  ships  now  arrived  at  Ma- 
zatlan,  and  the  French  admiral's  ship  the  Virginie. 
These,  "with  the  America,  made  a  larger  assemblage 
of  armed  ships  than  had  ever  before  anchored  at 
Mazatlan.  All  were  awaiting  the  tide  of  events, 
as  the  year  1845  rolled  into  the  past. 


29 


338  UNCERTAINTIES. 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

Uncertainties — More  revolutions — The  President's  Message — A 
threatened  execution — Attempted  assassination — The  Jew  and 
the  Christian — War  excitement — ^^A  panic — Start  for  the  United 
States — Horse  equipment — Loading  mules — Weapons  of  war — 
Last  look  at  the  Pacific — Arrive  at  Tepic — Mr.  Forbes — Cot- 
ton factory. 

In  addition ,  to  the  uncertainty  of  our  relations 
with  Mexico,  it  was  very  doubtful,  at  this  time, 
what  they  might  be  with  Great  Britain,  as  the 
Oregon  question  was  in  the  full  flood  of  excitement. 
Intelligen<;e  of  an  authentic  character  reached  us 
with  great  uncertainty,  and  almost  every  hour  of 
the  day  teemed  with  rumors.  The  situation  in 
which  we  were  placed,  at  this  crisis  of  our  aflFairs, 
shows  the  importance  of  making  every  provision 
for  conveying  the  earliest  information  to  our  forces 
in  remote  places.  At  this  period,  the  British 
government  had  some  means  of  forwarding  the 
earliest  information  through  Mexico,  and  if  that 
nation  had  any  designs  upon  California,  as  there 


MORE  REVOLUTIONS.  339 

was  every  reason  to  believe  it  had,  only  an  accident 
saved  that  important  territory  to  us. 

We  were  now  at  that  season  of  the  year,  when 
the  executive  message  would  go  before  Congress, 
and  much  depended  upon  the  nature  of  this  docu- 
ment; of  course  at  the  proper  period  we  would 
look  for  it  with  great  anxiety. 

While  at  breakfast  in  Mazatlan,  on  the  5th  of 
January,  a  gentleman  came  in  and  remarked,  "Ma- 
zatlan was  to  have  pronounced  yesterday  for  Pare- 
des,  I  wonder  it  was  not  done."  After  breakfast, 
while  walking  up  the  street,  I  was  informed  that 
Mazatlan  had  just  pronounced,  and  that  General 
Facio,  the  late  commandant,  was  imprisoned  in  the 
Cuartel.  All,  however,  was  quiet;  people  pursued 
their  avocations,  and  those  in  the  cafds  did  not 
quit  their  games  of  billiards;  nothing  externally 
indicated  a  revolution.  The  only  evidence  of  it 
visible,  was  the  riding  about  to  the  various  public 
oflSces  of  Miramon,  the  head  of  the  pronuncia- 
mento;  and  who  previous  to  this  had  been  the 
second  in  command.  He  was  followed  by  two 
miserable  looking  soldiers,  carrying  spears  with 
small  red  flags  flying  from  their  staffs;  and  I  pre- 
eume  his  object  was  to  obtain  the  adhesion  of  the 


340  MORE  REVOLUTIONS. 

oflScials,  and  to  take  possession  of  all  pertaining  to 
the  government  he  had  assumed. 

On  the  night  of  January  9th,  I  was  aroused 
hj  the  noise  of  drums,  trumpets,  and  firing  of  guns, 
and  imagined  there  must  be  some  saqueo,  or  contest. 
It  was,  however,  only  rejoicings  for  the  successful 
entry  of  Paredes  into  the  city  of  Mexico. 

On  the  1st  of  February  the  British  naval  com- 
mander sent  us  the  message  of  our  President,  hav- 
ing had  possession  of  it  some  days,  without  our 
having  the  least  intimation  that  it  was  yet  in  this 
part  of  the  world. 

The  message  lashed  the  British  captain  into  a 
great  state  of  excitement;  he  was  certain  that  war 
must  ensue,  and  boasted  that  England  never  was 
better  prepared  for  it. 

On  the  4th  of  February  we  had-  another  revo- 
lution ;  some  of  the  subordinates  of  Miramon  pro- 
nounced against  him,  and  threw  him  and  his  abet- 
tors into  the  prison.  Not  being  suflficiently  well 
guarded,  they  ran  over  a  few  of  the  ragged  sol- 
diers, got  out,  and  before  the  next  day  we  had  an- 
other pronunciamento.  Two  revolutions  in  as  many 
days,  and  not  a  gun  fired,  or  life  lost  in  either. 
Miramon,  either  from  bravado,  or  real  purpose, 
threatened  the  prompt  execution  of  the  last  con- 


ATTEMPTED  ASSASSINATION.  341 

Bpirator ;  he  lowered  the  flag  of  the  prison  half- 
mast,  sent  a  priest  to  confess  him,  and  gave  orders 
that,  at  the  conclusion  of  the  confession,  he  should 
be  shot.  One  of  the  conspirators,  a  lawyer,  had 
taken  refuge  in  the  house  of  our  consul,  and  occu- 
pied the  adjoining  room  to  mine ;  of  course  he  was 
very  much  excited  in  regard  to  the  progress  of 
events  out  of  doors.  As  the  morning  wore  on  we 
listened  anxiously  for  the  volley  which  was  to  ter- 
minate the  existence  of  my  neighbor's  fellow  con- 
spirator. At  length,  intelligence  was  brought  us 
that  Miramon  had  graciously  consented  to  pardon 
the  offender,  but  had  banished  him  from  Mazatlan. 

Whilst  revolutions  thus  progressed,  bloodless  and 
free  from  all  smells  of  villainous  gunpowder,  ex- 
cepting of  that  burned  in  salutes  to  the  rapidly 
changing  government,  the  assassin's  knife  was  most 
busy  among  the  lower  classes,  and  I  came  much 
nearer  than  was  agreeable  to  receiving  one  of  these 
deadly  thrusts  intended  for  another  person. 

Having  gone  down  to  the  beach  one  evening 
about  eight  o'clock,  for  the  purpose  of  communi- 
cating with  one  of  our  boats,  I  found  the  boat's  crew 
absent ;  and  while  awaiting  their  return,  I  stood  on 
the  fall  of  the  beach,  near  some  upturned  bdttts. 
While  standing  thus,  a  man  stepped  from  behind 
29* 


342  ATTEMPTED  ASSASSIPJATION. 

one  of  these  boats,  and  before  I  was  aware  of  his 
approach,  he  stood  before  me  with  a  long,  sharp- 
pointed  knife,  grasped  in  his  right  hand,  the  point 
apparently  resting  between  the  finger  and  thumb 
of  his  left.  The  glance  of  a  moment  revealed  the 
position  and  purpose.  He  gazed  earnestly  in  my 
face,  and  as  I  involuntarily  made  a  step  backward 
he  followed  it  up,  keeping  his  face  in  close  proxi- 
mity to  mine;  but  the  change  of  position  brought 
me  in  a  gleam  of  light  from  a  neighboring  drink- 
ing shop,  when  the  man  suddenly  turned,  threw 
the  knife  into  his  open  shirt  bosom,  and  walked  off. 
He  had  evidently  mistaken  his  man;  but  I  now 
felt  indignation,  at  the  danger  in  which  I  had  been 
placed,  and  followed  him  until  near  a  shop  in  which 
were  some  of  our  men,  when  I  ordered  them  to 
seize  him,  and  charged  him  with  the  attempt.  He 
denied  it  and  resisted,  but  I  directed  one  of  them 
to  take  the  knife  from  his  bosom,  which  was  done, 
when  he  quietly  yielded,  and  I  now  had  some  diffi- 
culty in  saving  him  from  rough  handling.  His 
knife  was  returned  him,  and  he  permitted  to  go  his 
way;  a  few  days  afterwards  he  confessed  to  the 
proprietor  of  the  shop  in  which  he  had  been  arrest- 
ed,»that  be  had  at  first  mistaken  me  for  another 
person,  for  whom  his  blow  was  intended. 


THE  JEW  AND  THE  CHRISTIAN.  343 

During  this  period  of  our  stay  at  Mazatlan,  a 
trifling  incident  occurred  which  is  no  otherwise 
worth  recording  but  as  showing  how  the  kindliest 
and  most  noble  feelings  of  human  nature  may  exist, 
where  external  circumstances,  and  narrow-minded, 
blind  prejudice  would  forbid  us  to  look  for  them. 

A  wretched  individual,  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States,  was  daily  and  nightly  wandering  through 
the  streets  of  Mazatlan,  in  utter  want,  although  at 
one  time  he  had  been  a  man  of  wealth  and  stand- 
ing. With  disheveled  hair  and  matted  beard,  and 
wrapped  in  a  blanket,  I  have  seen  him  driven  like  a 
wild  beast  from  the  doors  of  those  who  had  for- 
merly been  his  associates.  Such  of  his  country- 
men as  met  him  in  the  streets,  would  sometimeg 
render  him  temporary  aid,  but  there  was  little  use 
in  doing  so,  as  everything  went  to  the  grog  shop. 
Passing  about  nine  at  night,  through  a  lonely  part 
of  the  square,  I  found  him  in  the  condition  I  have 
described,  crying  bitterly,  in  the  vicinity  of  two  or 
three  Mexican  leperos  or  beggars.  Recognizing 
me,  he  made  a  somewhat  ludicrous  complaint  that 
these  men  were  making  him  suffer  for  his  country ; 
beating  him  because  he  was  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States.  I  took  him  at  once  under  my  protection, 
as  an  act  of  patriotism,  and  as  it  would  be  useless 


344  THE  JEW  AND  THE  CHRISTIAN. 

to  give  him  money,  determined  to  hunt  a  lodging 
for  him,  for  the  night,  and  requested  him  to  con- 
duct me  to  some  suitable  place.  He  then  told 
me,  that  the  only  person  who  Would  take  him  in, 
was  a  poor  Jew  pedler,  who  always  gave  him  a 
home  when  he  would  go  there ;  and  accordingly,  I 
followed  him  to  the  pedler's  home.  Having  arrived 
at  the  place,  we  passed  through  a  gateway  to  a 
large  square  yard,  surrounded  by  ranges  of  small 
rooms  or  stalls,  which  were  rented  either  to  per- 
manent residents,  or  those  who  made  but  a  tempo- 
rary stay.  In  one  of  these  small  places  lived  the 
Jew  and  his  family,  consisting  of  a  wife  and  child ; 
they  were  Germans,  and  seemed  so  poor  themselves, 
they  might  well  have  been  excused  the  exercise  of 
any  charities,  and  particularly  charities  which  sur- 
rendered a  part  of  their  single  apartment  to  my 
repulsive  companion. 

Having  explained  to  the  man,  that  the  object  of 
my  intrusion  upon  them,  was  to  request  that  he 
would  take  charge  of  the  poor  devil,  and  that  I 
would  pay  him  for  so  doing;  he  replied,  "that  as 
the  man  had  no  home,  and  nothing  to  eat,  he  was 
welcome  to  live  in  his  room,  if  he  would;  and  to 
eat  such  as  he  had  to  give  him;  but  that  he  could 
take  no  compensation  for  what  he  had  done,  or 


WAR  EXCITEMENT.  345 

would  Still  do  for  him.'  To  understand  the  full 
value  of  such  benevolence,  in  addition  to  the  cir- 
cumstances I  have  already  mentioned,  it  should  be 
considered  that  this  Jew  lived  in  a  country  where 
religious  bigotry  and  hatred  were  most  intolerant  of 
his  persuasion,  and  naturally  would  call  for  enmity 
and  retaliation;  and  that  the  recipient  of  his  bounty 
was  of  Christian  blood.  In  the  course  of  a  day 
or  two,  it  was  in  my  power  to  relieve  the  benevo- 
lent Israelite  of  the  charge  he  had  taken  of  the 
wretched  Christian. 

A  new  governor  had  arrived  at  Mazatlan  and 
taken  charge  of  affairs  under  the  authority  of 
Paredes,  and  the  previous  authorities,  usurped  and 
regular,  left  for  the  capital.  As  time  passed  on, 
the  state  of  feeling,  in  regard  to  war,  became 
feverish,  both  among  Mexicans  and  ourselves.  The 
slightest  event,  the  galloping  of  a  horse  through 
the  street,  or  an  unusual  noise  during  the  night, 
was  attributed  to  deep  motives,  or  regarded  as  con- 
nected with  important  events.  "Que  noticias," 
what  news  ?  was  the  first  salutation  of  encoun- 
tering acquaintances ;  not  in  the  idle  formality  of 
something  to  say,  but  asked  in  the  anxious  expec- 
tation of  receiving  important  intelligence.  Some 
of  my  mongrel  ^hop-keeping  acquaintance,  dealers 


346  WAR  EXCITEMENT. 

in  petty  stocks  of  groceries  and  other  goods,  were 
earnest  in  their  request  that  I  should  give  them 
the  first  intimation  of  a  coming  blockade,  that  they 
might  lay  in  goods. 

Walking  through  the  streets,  on  the  evening  of 
March  26th,  I  saw  several  merchants,  with  anxious 
countenances,  discussing  some  subject  of  apparent 
interest,  and,  upon  my  joining  them,  they  informed 
me  that  Gutierres,  the  governor,  had  received  in- 
telligence that  a  blockade  had  been  declared  on  the 
other  side,  and  was  in  existence  before  the  ports  of 
Matamoras,  Tampico,  and  Vera  Cruz.  Meeting 
soon  afterwards  Sir  Thomas  Thompson,  the  com- 
mander of  a  British  frigate,  I  mentioned  this  news 
to  him.  He  said  it  could  not  be  true,  as  he  was 
convinced  he  had  the  latest  intelligence  from  the 
other  side;  and  he  remarked,  with  an  air  of  confi- 
dence, that  when  a  blockade  was  declared,  he  felt 
convinced  that  he  should  hear  it  as  soon  as  any 
one.  This,  I  was  sorry  to  believe,  was  too  much  a 
fact. 

During  the  night,  there  was  much  and  continued 
moving  of  carts  through  the  streets ;  quiet  citizens 
were  roused  from  their  beds  by  the  noise ;  and  po- 
king their  heads  out  of  the  windows,  inquired  of 
the  serenos,  or  watchmen,  the  cause.    These  fellows 


A  PANIC.  347 

always  ready  with  an  answer,  that  news  "of  war 
had  just  come  in,"  and  that  all  the  arms  and  am- 
munition were  being  sent  out  of  town  for  safety, 
to  Rosario,  some  thirty  miles  distant.  This  was 
true.  The  archives  were  also  sent;  and,  on  the 
following  day,  the  troops  and  the  governor  himself, 
were  to  go ;  thus,  in  a  panic,  abandoning  the  place 
to  us.  We  also  had  rumors  that  three  thousand 
men  were  to  march  to  the  frontier  on  the  Rio 
Grande,  but  had  refused  to  do  so,  unless  Paredes 
himself  would  lead  them. 

Having,  according  to  my  instructions,  sent  this 
information  off  to  the  commander  in-chief,  a  coun- 
cil was  held  in  the  squadron,  and  all  officers  living 
ashore,  were  ordered  to  join  their  ships.  The  mov- 
ing of  baggage  down  to  the  boats,  and  the  hurry- 
ing of  servants,  gathering  up  all  the  clothing  at 
the  washerwomen's,  spread  the  panic,  and  the  peo- 
ple became  more  alarmed,  fancying  some  great  evil 
was  impending  over  them.  The  ignorant  did  not 
understand  the  English  word  "blockade,"  and 
construed  it  to  be  significant  of  mysterious  and  un- 
known horrors ;  and  before  night,  it  became  cur- 
rently reported  that  we  were  to  land  our  forces  in 
the  night,  murder  the  people,  and  commit  all  sorts 
of  violence. 


348  THE  BANDO. 

I  had  been  instructed  to  remain  ashore  for  the 
purpose  of  communicating  anything  of  importance 
which  might  occur.  The  sudden  removal  of  the 
farces,  arms,  and  public  documents,  confirmed  the 
rumors  of  blockade,  and  the  merchants  were  very 
busy  in  the  disposal  of  goods  to  country  traders, 
anxious  to  buy  before  the  prices  were  raised  by  the 
blockade.  An  immense  quantity  was  sold  during 
this  panic.  Indeed,  some  conjectured  that  the 
merchants  encouraged  the  alarm,  to  get  rid  of  their 
goods;  and  others,  that  Gutierres  did  so,  because 
he  feared  a  pronunciamento  of  the  troops;  and 
hence,  wished  to  get  them  out  of  town,  and  at  the 
same  time  to  create  a  popular  impression  against 
us. 

By  the  following  mail,  there  was  no  confirmation 
of  the  warlike  rumors;  but  information  was  receiv- 
ed from  Mr.  Black,  our  consul  in  the  city  of  Mex- 
ico, stating  that  on  the  day  following  the  date  of 
his  letter  (March  14)  the  final  decision  of  the 
Mexican  government  would  be  sent  Mr.  Slidell,  re- 
fusing to  receive  him  as  any  other  than  a  special 
envoy  to  negotiate  specific  business. 

Things  continuing  thus  uncertain,  and  there  be- 
ing some  fear  that  our  communications  through 
Mexico  might  be  intercepted ;  affairs  of  the  squad- 


HAS  BLAS.  349 

ron  also  requiring  to  be  brought  to  the  attention . 
of  our  government,  the  commander-in-chief,  at  my 
own  request,  gave  me  permission  to  return  to  the 
United  States,  through  Mexico.  He  charged  me 
with  despatches  for  our  own  government,  and  di- 
rected me  to  forward  him  any  information  of  im- 
portance I  might  gather  upon  the  route. 

The  most  convenient  point  of  departure  from  the 
Pacific,  is  at  the  town  of  San  Bias,  a  little  to  the 
south  of  the  entrance  to  the  Gulf  of  California ;  one 
day's  ordinary  sail  from  Mazatlan.  A  five  days' 
laborious  land  journey  is  saved,  by  starting  from 
San  Bias  instead  of  Mazatlan. 

Having  arrived  at  this  place,  we  found  a  village 
upon  the  sea-shore,  or  beach,  consisting  of  a  collec- 
tion of  thatched  huts,  inhabited  by  a  sallow,  un- 
healthy looking  population,  and  particularly  stock- 
ed with  musquetoes  and  sand-flies.  The  old  town 
of  San  Bias,  is  situated  about  a  mile  back  of  this 
beach  settlement,  and  stands  upon  a  bluff,  rocky 
eminence,  rising  like  a  castle,  from  the  midst  of  a 
swampy,  verdant  plain.  It  is  now  but  a  mpuld- 
ering  gravestone  of  past  prosperity.  Both  San 
Bias,  and  Tepic,  the  interior  city,  of  which  the 
former  is  the  port,  are  losing  themselves  in  the 
flourishing  vigor  of  Mazatlan ;  nurtured  as  it  has 
30 


350  SAN  BLA8. 

been,  by  that  smuggling  commerce,  which  the  be- 
nighted policy  of  Mexico  has  rendered  the  syste- 
matic, if  not  legitimate  trade  of  the  country. 

At  San  Bias,  an  arrangement  had  been  made  with 
an  arriero,  or  muleteer,  to  convey  us  to  the  city  of 
Tepic ;  some  of  our  party  going  no  farther ;  and, 
accordingly,  on  the  morning  of  May  4th,  we  found 
the  requisite  number  of  mules  and  horses  on  the 
beach,  ready  caparisoned  for  the  journey. 

It  would  be  a  difficult  thing  to  describe  intelligi- 
bly the  huge  mass  of  wood,  leather,  thongs,  and 
straps,  which  make  up  the  equipment  of  a  Mexi- 
can saddle,  and  which  appears  a  sufficient  load  for 
the  little  animal  sustaining  it,  without  the  addition 
of  the  rider.  Each  traveler,  entering  upon  the  jour- 
ney we  were  about  undertaking,  must  have  at  least 
one  baggage  mule;  for,  besides  his  ordinary  bag- 
gage, he  must  carry  all  his  bedding,  and,  with  a 
just  discretion,  a  good  store  of  provisions. 

Upon  this  occasion,  owing  to  the  instructed 
arrangements  of  my  companion,  Mr.  Parrott,  our 
consul  at  Mazatlan,  we  had  handsome  and  con- 
venient brass  bedsteads,  stowing  compactly  in 
trunks ;  and  at  night,  when  they  were  put  up,  their 
glittering  posts  and  canopy  frames  were  in  strong 


BURDEN  MULES.  351 

contrast  with  the  rude,  unfurnished  fonda  rooms 
in  which  we  lodged. 

In  loading  the  mules,  two  things  surprise  the 
stranger,  unaccustomed  to  this  mode  of  transporta- 
tion; first,  the  weight  and  bulk  which  the  animals 
carry;  and  next,  the  facility  and  rapidity  with 
which  the  arrieros  secure  articles  of  awkward 
weight  and  size ;  so  that  the  animal,  climbing  pre- 
cipitous paths,  and  walking  narrow  shelves  of  road 
overhanging  steep  declivities,  seems  a  moving  mass 
of  trunks,  bales,  and  boxes. 

Our  party  consisted,  including  the  muleteers,  of 
seven  persons  and  ten  mules  and  horses,  each  of 
us  equipped  with  a  formidable  looking  armament 
of  carbines  at  the  saddle  bows,  and  pistols  around 
the  waist ;  the  Mexicans  wearing  besides  long  rusty 
swords,  which  had  lost  their  scabbards.  This  war- 
like equipment,  was,  I  presume,  as  mtich  upon  the 
principle  of  scarecrows  in  a  corn  field  as  with  any 
design  of  bloody  conflict. 

All  the  arrangements  having  been  completed,  at 
seven  o'clock  in  the  morning  we  took  our  departure 
from  the  shores  of  the  Pacific,  and  soon  entered  a 
dense,  luxuriant,  bottom-land  thicket,  or  jungle. 
This  bottom  is  only  passable  in  the  dry  season,  and 
the  elevation  of  the  water  during  the  wet  season, 


* 
352         LAST  LOOK  AT  THE  PACIFIC. 

was  marked  six  feet  high  on  the  trees.  From  this 
bottom  we  ascended,  bj  a  gentle  rise,  to  some  good 
cultivable  land,  upon  which  was,  here  and  there,  a 
Mexican  farm,  or  rancho,  and  occasionally  a  new 
clearing,  something  in  appearance  like  those  of  our 
western  States. 

At  twelve,  we  stopped  at  the  half-way  house  be- 
tween San  Bias  and  Tepic;  a  plain  farmhouse, 
where  we  were  furnished  with  clean  and  comfort- 
able accommodations,  and  provision.  Resting  until 
half  after  three,  we  then  resumed  our  journey,  and 
soon  commenced  the  ascent  of  the  mountains. 

■  Our  way  was  first  through  a  dark  forest  of  gigan- 
tic trees,  and  up  and  down  one  precipitous  declivity 
after  another,  until,  just  as  the  sun  was  setting,  we 
reached  a  naked  and  desolate  mountain  summit ; 
and  looking  back  from  this,  over  the  vast  region  of 
country  we  had  left  below  us,^  we  had  our  parting 
view  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  losing  itself  in  the  dis- 
tant western  horizon. 

The  road  now  passed  over  hills  of  white  and  red 
clay;  a  sterile,  and  lonely  country.  The  moon 
rose  bright  and  clear  above  us  long  before  our 
weary  day's  journey  was  ended,  in  the  city  of  Te- 
pic, which  place  we  entered,  just  as  the  serenes 
were  whistling,  on  their  shrill  calls,  tha  hour  of 


TEPIC.  363 

ten,  and  sending  forth  their  devotional  cry  of 
"  Ave  Maria  purisima." 

We  were  received  into  the  elegant  mansion  of 
Mr.  Forbes,  a  Scotch  gentleman,  whose  warm  hos- 
pitality allows  no  stranger  to  remain  in  Tepic  with- 
out a  home.  This  gentleman  is  the  author  of  a 
valuable  work  on  California,  and  brother  to  the 
gentleman  of  the  same  name  celebrated  in  medical 
literature.  He  had  been  expecting  us,  and  we 
found  a  bountiful  supper  awaiting  our  arrival,  after 
which  we  were  assigned  chambers,  provided  with 
every  comfort  and  luxury,  and  especially  welcome 
at  the  close  of  an  unaccustomed  ride  of  fifty-five 
miles. 

Tepic  is  a  handsome  and  well  built  city,  of  about 
eight  thousand  inhabitants ;  but  it  is  in  a  condition 
of  decay;  the  population  havingi^ declined  four 
thousand,  within  a  few  years.  The  only  thing 
about  it  looking  refreshing,  prosperous,  and  un- 
Mexican,  is  the  cotton  factory  of  the  Messrs. 
Forbes.  The  situation  of  this  establishment  is 
pretty  and  picturesque,  and  where  they  have  the 
water  power  of  a  mountain  stream.  The  build- 
ings of  the  factory,  and  the  residence  of  the  per- 
sons connected  with  it,  are  in  an  appropriate  and 
showy  architectural  taste.  The  superintendent, 
30* 


364  BAD  NEWS. 

aod  also  the  leading  workmen,  were  from  the 
United  States,  and  although  they  had  been  in  the 
employ  of  Mr.  Forbes  for  a  number  of  years,  he 
had  never,  he  assured  me,  had  the  least  difficulty, 
or  cause  of  dissatisfaction  with  any  of  them.  Such 
a  happy  relationship  had  made  an  agreeable  im- 
pression, as  regards  our  countrymen,  although  it 
is  undoubtedly  greatly  owing  to  the  good  sense 
and  good  management  of  Mr.  Forbes  himself. 

This  factory  made  eighty  pieces  of  cotton  a-day, 
which  sells  at  twenty-five  cents  the  "vara,"  some- 
thing less  than  a  yard;  the  texture  being  such  as 
would  bring  eight  or  ten  cents  in  the  United  States. 
Most  of  the  raw  material  is  brought  from  New 
Orleans,  by  way  of  Cape  Horn,  but  a  little  is  grown 
in  the  country. 

In  the  neigl^rhood  of  Topic,  are  some  fine  sugar 
estates,  at  which  refined  sugar  is  made,  at  a  cost 
of  three  or  four  cents,  and  sells  at  ten  cents  a 
pound;  although  nothing  like  a  supply  for  the 
country  is  produced,  as  I  have  known  this  sugar  to 
retail  at  fifty  cents  a  pound,  in  the  vicinity  of  Tepic. 
At  this  place  we  first  met  the  hostile  proclama- 
tion of  Paredes,  directing  an  advance  upon  Gene- 
ral, Taylor;  and  it  gave  us  some  anxiety  respecting 
our  own  situation  ;   although  it  was  a  general  im- 


START  FOR  GUADALAXARA.  356 

pression,  that  this  proclamation  had  any  other  de- 
sign in  its  threats,  than  the  purpose  of  executing 
them. 

The  annual  fair  of  Tepic  was  in  progress  during 
our  visit,  hut  was  nothing  more  than  a  scene  of 
dissipation ;  the  public  square,  or  plaza,  like  that  of 
'Mazatlan,  being  filled  with  every  known  contri- 
vance for  gambling ;  wheels,  cards,  dice,  colored 
cloths,  &c. ;  and  the  tables  ranging  in  wealth  from 
a  small  capital  of  copper  coin,  where  children  and 
beggars  tempted  fortune,  to  those  where  their 
elders  and  betters  might  stake  gold. 

At  Tepic,  we  made  a  new  contract  with  an  arri- 
ero,  for  himself,  his  mozos,  or  boys,  horses,  mules, 
carbines,  and  swords,  to  carry  us  to  Guadalaxara, 
a  five  days'  journey;  and,  on  the  afternoon  of  the 
6th  of  May,  we  started  for  this  city;  our  party 
consisting  now,  only  of  Mr.  Parrott,  myself,  and 
his  servant,  a  Mexican.  That  night  we  reached 
the  small  village  of  San  Leonel.  Don  Ramon,  as 
our  chief  arriero  was  called,  instead  of  taking  us 
to  the  fonda,  lodged  us  in  the  farmhouse  of  a  friend 
of  his.  Before  retiring,  the  lady  of  the  establish- 
ment seemed  particularly  careful  in  locking  the 
doors,  and  securing  the  windows ;  and,  as  a  reason 
for  her  care,  she  showed  me  an  enormous  scar,  ex- 


356  MODE  OF  TRAVELING. 

tending  the  whole  length  of  her  arm,  and  which 
had  been  inflicted  some  time  before,  by  the  knife 
of  a  robber,  who  had  at  the  same  time  stretched 
two  others  of  her  household  wounded  on  the  floor. 

Our  usual  mode  of  traveling,  was  to  start  at  three 
or  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  having  first  taken 
our  desayuno;  a  cup  of  tea,  003*66,  or  chocolate,  with 
a  small  cake,  or  rusk ;  then,  traveling  until  twelve, 
we  breakfasted,  and  enjoyed  a  rest  of  three  or  four 
hours ;  the  day's  travel  being  completed  in  the 
cool  of  the  evening,  at  which  time  we  dined.  Such 
is  the  mode  of  traveling,  as  regards  time  and  meals, 
common  to  all  Mexico. 

The  first  part  of  our  road  from  Topic  wound 
among  a  succession  of  smooth,  rounded,  isolated 
hills,  rising  from  dry,  barren  plains,  like  Indian 
mounds;  the  plains  themselves  divided  by  long, 
stone  fences,  but  entirely  destitute  of  cultivation. 
Soon  after  leaving  San  Leonel,  on  the  morning  of 
the  7th,  the  country  presented  a  rather  more  cheer- 
ing appearance.  Thinly  scattered  pine  trees  cov- 
ered the  hill-sides,  and  small  streams  flowed  at 
their  base.  In  the  valleys  were  fields  of  barley ; 
and  now  and  then  we  passed  an  Indian  village  of 
thatched  huts,  where  mules  were  treading  out  the 


VOLCANIC  PHENOMENON.  357 

grain  on  a  ground  threshing-floor.  Our  mid-day 
halt  wa8  at  the  village  of  Santa  Isabel. 

Leaving  Santa  Isabel,  our  road  conducted  us 
during  the  afternoon  over  a  singular  volcanic  for- 
mation. As  we  approached  this  region,  there  ap- 
peared to  be  a  high,  black  wall  extending  across 
the  whole  country,  from  the  base  of  a  mountain  on 
the  left.  This  apparent  wall  formed  the  defined 
boundary,  or  outer  edge,  of  a  widely  extended  mass 
of  craggy  rocks,  rising  some  twenty  feet  above  the 
surface  of  the  country  over  which  they  were  spread. 

They  lay  a  confused  mass,  far  as  the  eye  could 
see,  in  every  direction ;  tossed  into  all  manner  of 
confused  shapes,  looking  like  rocky  waves  with 
ragged,  wind-tossed  summits ;  and  might  be  imag- 
ined a  tempest-enraged  sea  of  molten  iron,  suddenly 
congealed  in  all  its  wild  confusion. 

In  contemplating  the  probable  forces  producing 
this  phenomenon,  the  idea  presents  itself,  of  the 
explosion  of  a  mountain  region,  and  the  fragments 
tumbling  back  into  their  present  disorder. 

That  night  we  reached  the  pretty  town  of  Agua- 
catlan ;  a  place  of  some  five  thousand  inhabitants, 
with  a  conspicuous  church  and  convent;  and  having 
its  plaza  or  public  square  surrounded  by  handsome 
shade  trees.     The  posada  of  Aguacatlan  is  one  of 


358  MEXICAN  POSADAS. 

more  pretension  than  any  we  had  yet  seen.  A 
spacious  portico  extended  along  its  front,  and  over 
this  large  letters,  painted  on  the  wall  of  the  house, 
informed  us  that,  "  Here  may  be  found  every  con- 
venience for  persons  of  good  taste."  The  various 
apartments  surrounding  the  courtyard  were  each 
labeled  according  to  its  use;  and  it  was  no  small 
gratification  to  notice  over  one,  "Here  the  bread 
is  made  with  the  greatest  cleanliness."  The  idea 
of  the  assurance  presented  by  this  sign  was  agree- 
able, whatever  the  fact  of  the  case  might  be. 

Generally,  the  arrangement  of  these  posadas,  or 
hotels,  is  the  same.  The  traveler  is  shown  into  a 
room  containing  a  heavy  table,  near  which  is  a 
high-backed  bench.  In  the  corner,  some  boards, 
elevated  a  little  distance  from  the  ground,  offer  a 
place  for  his  bedding.  Each  traveler  has  his  sepa- 
rate apartment ;  but  in  addition  to  this,  at  Agua- 
catlan,  we  had  the  use  of  a  large  sala,  or  drawing- 
room,  furnished  with  mahogany  chairs.  The  pro- 
prietor of  the  establishment  is  undoubtedly  one  of 
those  enterprising  spirits  who  leap  ahead  of  sur- 
rounding circumstances,  and  anticipate  the  advance 
of  the  age. 

Taking  our  leave  of  Aguacatlan,  and  its  pretend- 
ing posada,  early  the  following  morning,  for  ten  or 


MEET  FRIENDS.  359 

twelve  miles  our  road  passed  through  a  fertile  val- 
ley, and  the  best  cultivated  of  any  portion  of  the 
country  we  had  yet  seen.  It  was  covered  with 
farmhouses  and  villages;  still  the  cultivation  was 
careless,  antique,  and  barbarous ;  the  plough  in  use 
being  none  other  than  a  sharpened  log  of  wood. 

We  had  passed  through  a  pretty,  tree-embower- 
ed village,  Istlan,  intending  to  ride  later  and  fur- 
ther for  breakfast,  when  our  Mexican  servant,  who 
had  lingered  behind,  came  riding  after  us,  shouting, 
and  followed  by  another  horseman  in  Mexican  cos- 
tume. The  new  comer  proved,  to  our  surprise  and 
gratification,  to  be  an  English  gentleman  for  whom 
I  had  the  highest  regard,  and  with  whom  I  had 
been  on  terms  of  friendship  on  the  Pacific  coast, 
and  who  had  business  relations  with  my  traveling 
companion.  He  was  now  on  his  way  to  the  Pacific 
from  the  city  of  Mexico,  and  had  passed  into  the 
town  by  one  street,  as  we  had  come  out  by  another, 
and,  but  for  the  fortunate  loitering  of  Ignicio,  the 
servant,  also  an  old  acquaintance,  we  should  have 
missed  each  other.  Wo  now  returned  to  Istlan, 
and  ate  our  breakfast  together;  to  which  meal  our 
unexpected  meeting  gave  a  high  enjoyment.  Be- 
fore we  parted  on  our  difi'erent,  and  opposite  routes, 
my  friend  took  from  his  luggage,  and  presented  me 


360  LA  BARRANCA. 

a  handsome  and  welcome  "gage  d'amiti^,"  and 
■which  I  particularly  value,  as  our  accidental  meet- 
ing in  the  village  of  Istlan,  is  most  probably  the 
last  we  shall  see  of  each  other.  My  friend  was  ac- 
companied by  a  traveling  companion,  a  young 
Scotchman,  just  out  from  Scotland,  but  who  had 
formerly  resided  in  the  United  States.  He  was 
now  worn  out  with  fatigue,  disgusted  with  Mexico, 
and,  in  his  eloquent  remembrances  of  happy  days 
in  the  United  States,  he  felt,  in  meeting  us,  as 
though  he  had  fallen  in  with  brethren.  I  was  hap- 
py to  be  the  bearer  of  messages  from  him  to  some 
of  his  friends  in  the  Union. 

The  wildest  and  most  picturesque  scene  on  the 
whole  route,  from  the  Pacific  to  the  Atlantic — the 
Barrancas — was  passed  on  the  afternoon  of  this 
day.  The  Barranca  is  a  gorge  several  thousand 
feet  deep,  separating  mountain  spurs ;  and  the  road 
descends,  by  a  precipitous,  zig-zag  path,  along  the 
side  of  the  left-hand  spur,  with  this  tremendous 
gulf  yawning  on  the  right;  and,  when  the  bottom 
is  reached,  instead  of  being,  as  at  first  appeared, 
in  a  deep  valley,  a  little  advance  shows  that  we  are 
still  on  the  summit  of  a  mountain,  and  the  road 
descends,  as  before,  along  the  side  of  this  mount- 
ain— ^but  the  chasm  now  yawns  on  the  left,  yet 


TABLE  LANDS  OF  MEXICO.  361 

deeper  than  before.  The  bottom  of  this  being  at 
length  reached,  the  road  continues  for  some  miles 
along  the  bottom  of  this  mountain-rent  and  shady 
valley,  winding  along  the  banks  of  a  rocky  stream, 
and  beneath  overhanging  precipices. 

In  this  wild  and  difficult  pass,  as  if  by  some 
capricious  impulse,  was  exhibited  the  only  evi- 
dence of  internal  improvement  and  national  energy 
which  had  yet  come  under  my  notice — a  broad, 
handsome,  well-made,  and  paved  carriage  road  was 
being  cut  from  the  sides  of  the  mountains,  descend- 
ing them  in  a  succession  of  inclined  planes,  turn- 
ing one  upon  another  like  a  winding  stairway,  and 
walled  along  the  edge  of  the  precipice.  A  number 
of  persons  were  at  work  upon  this  road,  and  much 
of  it  was  completed.  Ascending  from  these  shady 
depths,  by  a  precipitous  and  very  rugged  path,  we 
reached,  a  little  after  night,  the  miserable  village, 
but  good  posada,  of  Mochotitli. 

On  the  following  morning  we  entered  upon  the 
lonely,  desolate  table  lands  of  Mexico;  and,  al- 
though uncheered  by  shrubbery  or  cultivation,  we 
had  the  advantage  of  a  good,  level  road,  which, 
towards  evening,  brought  us  rather  suddenly  to  a 
different  scene. 

From  the  brow  of  the  elevated  plain,  upon  which 
31 


362  ENTER  GUADALAXARA. 

we  had  been  traveling,  we  looked  down  upon  an 
extensive  green  valley,  spread  over  with  fields  of 
the  stiff  maguey  plant,  standing  in  regular  lines. 
From  this  plant  is  made  the  brandy  of  the  country. 
Immediately  beneath  us  was  the  town  of  Tequila, 
with  its  houses  and  church  domes  shooting  from 
amidst  groves  of  trees.  Although  the  buildings  of 
Tequila  were  handsome,  and  its  streets  regular, 
much  of  its  agreeable  appearance  was  owing  to 
the  enchantment  of  distance;  in  passing  through 
it,  the  appearance  of  the  whole  place  was  one  of 
poverty,  dilapidation,  and  decay.  That  night  we 
slept  at  the  village  of  Amelatan,  and  on  the  fol- 
lowing morning,  Sunday,  May  10th,  under  a  broil- 
ipg  sun,  amid  troops  of  mules,  and  clouds  of  dust, 
at  eleven  o'clock,  we  entered  the  truly  beautiful 
city  of  Guadalaxara. 

We  did  not,  however,  enter  its  precincts  without 
coming  in  contact  once  more  with  the  benighted 
policy,  constructed  to  facilitate  robbery,  and  to 
sustain  an  unprincipled  and  rapacious  soldiery — 
the  system  which  will  not  permit  an  article  to  move 
from  one  part  of  the  country  to  another,  without 
being  submitted  to  taxation.  It  has  often  occurred 
to  me,  that  if  our  countrymen,  who  find  any  cause 
of  dissatisfaction  with  our  institutions,  could  be 


THE  GARITA.  363 

subjected  to  the  annoyances  existing  under  other 
governments,  they  would  better  appreciate  the 
happiness  they  enjoy.  We  are  so  rich  in  blessings, 
that  few  value  them  suflficiently.  I  recollect  a 
European  friend  once  telling  me  that,  being  in  the 
United  States,  he  could  not  realize  the  fact  that  he 
had  a  ri^t  to  enter  railroad-cars,  stage-coaches, 
and  steamboats,  without  being  asked  for  his  pass- 
port, and  having  his  baggage  examined. 

Although  we  were  now  so  far  in  the  interior  of 
the  country — at  the  garita,  or  inland  custom  house, 
— we  were  arrested,  while  one  of  our  mules,  se- 
lected at  hap-hazard,  was  unloaded ;  while  a  sloven- 
ly, epauletted  official — some  Mexican  general  or 
colonel,  undoubtedly — overhauled  the  baggage,  to 
see  that  we  were  not  smuggling.  Had  we  really 
been  loaded  with  contraband  articles,  it  would  have 
given  us  but  fittle  annoyance,  as  we  should  have 
calculated  upon  the  requisite  bribe  to  carry  us 
through ;  however,  we  had,  as  we  thought,  no  favors 
to  ask,  and  did  not  choose  to  pay  him  to  release  us 
from  detention.  We  were,  as  it  proved,  independ- 
ent from  ignorance ;  Had  he  selected  my  mule,  and 
exposed  the  evidences  of  my  true  position,  a  bribe 
would  have  been  a  cheap  release  from  the  difficulties 
with  which  my  situation  would  have  been  sur- 
rounded. 


364  GUADALAXARA. 

Guadalaxara  is  a  very  showy  city  of  palace-like 
houses,  and  extensive  churches  and  convents  cover- 
ing many  squares  of  the  city,  and  concealing  in 
their  recesses  a  vast  population  lost  to  life  and 
usefulness.  Flowers  and  gardens  seemed  to  be  a 
prevalent  taste,  and  the  verandas,  or  iron  balconies 
projecting  from  the  second  stories,  were  so  filled 
with  vases  of  flowers,  as  to  give,  along  the  length 
of  the  elegant  streets,  the  appearance  of  over- 
hanging flower  gardens.  A  broad  and  shaded 
paseo,  or  walk  and  drive,  extends  for  a  mile  and  a 
half  along  one  side  of  the  city,  terminating  in  a 
handsome  rose-hedged  promenade  and  flower  gar- 
den. Elegant  fountains  of  stone  and  bronze,  bub- 
bling forth  clear,  cold  water,  are  seen  in  every 
direction.  But  these  are  all  remnants  of  past 
splendor,  taste,  and  elegance;  the  present  is  in 
strong  contrast:  poverty,  vice,  and  wretchedness, 
are  its  characteristics;  beggars  constituting  a  great 
part  of  the  street  population,  and  the  prisons  being 
thronged  with  criminals  of  the  vilest  character, 
existing  in  the  most  disgusting  filth. 

The  jail  of  Guadalaxara  is  one  of  the  most  fer- 
tile recruiting  stations  of  the  Mexican  army.  The 
Californian  garrison  was  usually  composed  of  these 
assassins,  who  were  sent  there  to  depredate  with 


OUADALAXARA.  365 

impunity  upon  the  unoflfending  inhabitants,  until, 
as  we  have  seen,  patience  being  exhausted,  all 
Mexican  rule  was  expelled,  never  again  to  abuse, 
misgovern,  and  outrage  a  territory,  whose  fortunes 
and  happiness  are  now  under  the  safe  guarantee  of 
the  star-spangled  banner. 


3r 


-366  WAR  AT  LAST. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

War  at  last — Awkward  situation — An  express  to  the  Pacific- 
Leave  Guadalaxara — Coachmen's  costume — Fontla  rules — 
The  road — Robbers — Guanajuato — More  robbers — Queretaro — 
More  war  news — Soap  currency — Fighting  poHcy  vetoed — Halls 
of  the  Montezumas — Anxieties — Victory — Leperos — Chapulte- 
pec — Leave  Mexico — Vera  Cruz — Escape  the  country. 

At  Guadalaxara,  terminated  our  journeying  in 
the  saddle.  From  this  place  to  Vera  Cruz,  the 
traveling  is  by  a  line  of  diligences. 

Startling  news  here  reached  us,  placing  us,  and 
particularly  myself,  in  most  unpleasant  circum- 
stances. In  triumphant  and  boastful  language  we 
were  informed  of  the  successful  attack  upon  our 
forces,  on  the  Rio  Grande,  and  the  capture  of  some 
of  our  dragoons.  The  intelligence  reached  the 
city  about  the  same  time  with  ourselves;  and  soon 
after,  newsboys  were  selling  extras  in  the  streets, 
and  crying,  at  the  highest  pitch  of  their  voices, 
"  Triumph  over  the  North  Americans." 

In  every  respect  this  was  bad  news,  mortifying 
to  our  national  pride,  and  inducing  painful  appre- 


WAR  AT  LAST.  367 

hetisions,  for  the  fate  of  our  captured  countrymen. 
Whilst  every  Mexican  exultation  was  an  insult,  we- 
dare  not  open  our  lips,  and  point  to  the  cowardly 
nature  of  the  attack,  as  shown  in  their  own  narra- 
tive. Besides  such  considerations,  our  own  posi- 
tion was  a  cause  of  much  anxiety.  Here  was  war, 
and  we  in  the  centre  of  the  country;  I  with  a  hos- 
tile uniform  in  my  trunk,  and  despatches  in  my  cap, 
which  unfortunately  stated  that  one  object  of  my 
journey  through  the  country  was  to  collect  infor- 
mation in  relation  to  expected  hostilities. 

What  was  to  be  done,  was  a  serious  question.  I 
had  no  disposition  to  be  placed  in  the  position  of  a 
spy,  in  an  enemy's  country  ;  and  yet,  to  avoid  being 
in  such  a  position,  I  should  at  once  surrender  my- 
self to  the  authorities.  By  pursuing  this  course, 
I  would  be  compelled  to  surrender,  or  destroy  the 
despatches  with  which  I  was  charged,  and,  what 
was  worse,  would  lose  an  opportunity  of  communi- 
cating the  state  of  affairs  to  the  commander  in 
chief  in  the  Pacific.  The  condition  of  things  left 
by  us  on  the  western  coast,  seemed  to  demand 
that  such  an  opportunity  should  not  be  lost. 
Whether  correctly  or  not,  it  was  believed,  that  in 
case  of  war,  the  British  squadron  would  attempt 
to  take   California  under  its  protection.     At  the 


868  AN  EXPRESS  TO  THE  PACIFIC. 

time  we  left  Mazatlan,  there  were  at  anchor 
off  that  port,  the  Collingwood,  80  gun  ship,  Ad- 
miral Seymour ;  the  Talbot,  26 ;  the  Spy,  three 
large  guns,  one  42,  two  32 ;  the  Frolic,  sixteen  24 
pounders,  was  at  Guaymas;  the  frigate  Juno 
entered  as  I  was  coming  out;  the  steamers  Cormo- 
rant and  Salamander  were  on  the  station;  the 
frigate  Fiseyard  36,  and  Corvette  Modesta  in  Cali- 
fornia and  Oregon.  The  America,  54,  had  been 
ordered  back  from  Valparaiso,  and  the  frigates 
Grampus  and  Carysfort  were  in  the  Pacific,  direct 
from  England.  The  concentration  of  so  large  a 
force  in  a  part  of  the  ocean  where,  heretofore,  the 
British  rarely  had  more  than  one  vessel,  looked 
suspicious,  and  hence  it  became  important,  to  save 
trouble,  that  the  commander  of  our  forces  should 
have  the  earlfest  intelligence  of  the  war. 

After  due  deliberation,  it  was  determined,  that 
we  should  continue  our  journey  through  the  coun- 
try, and  if  possible  send  an  express  to  the  com- 
mander-in-chief of  our  squadron  in  the  Pacific. 
The  latter,  was  a  matter  of  some  diflSculty,  as  all 
expresses  must  be  sent  through  and  under  authority 
of  the  government  post-office.  However,  Mr.  Par- 
rott  was  enabled  to  manage  the  matter  with  much 
■skill.     The  express  went  through  safely,  making 


OCCUPATION  OF  CALIFORNIA.  369 

ten  days  ordinary  travel  in  five  days,  and  deliver- 
ing, on  the  17th  of  May,  the  first  news  of  the 
war,  to  our  forces  in  the  Pacific.  Soon  after 
this,  California  was  quietly  occupied,  without  meet- 
ing any  resistance,  by  Commodore  Sloat,  and  the 
forces  under  his  command. 

Although  a  just  precaution  would  perhaps  dic- 
tate the  increase  of  the  forces  in  California,  about 
the  time  of  its  occupation,  yet  there  is  every  rea- 
son to  believe,  that  the  arrival  there  of  new  men 
and  new  leaders  did  much  to  provoke  hostilities, 
which  might  not  otherwise  have  arisen.  The  Cali- 
fornians  were  ready  and  wijjing  to  come  under  the 
flag  of  the  United  States,  provided  they  were  per- 
mitted to  have  something  to  say  in  the  matter 
themselves;  but  they  were  unwilling  to  be  made 
the  subjects  of  coercive  proclamations,  and  to  have 
their  course  of  voluntary  action  made  to  appear 
as  the  result  of  belligerent  compulsion.  Alvarado, 
who  had  been  their  chosen  governor,  and  had  much 
influence  in  the  territory,  at  once,  I  was  told,  came 
under  the  flag  of  the  Union. 

Commodore  Sloat  had  but  just  taken  possession  of 
the  territory,  when  the  Collingwood  ran  into  the 
harbor  of  Monterey;  but  if  she  came  with  the  de- 
sign of  throwing  any  impediments  in  the  way,  it  was 


370  LEAVE  GUADALAXARA. 

now  too  late,  the  country  was  ours;  she  left  again 
immediatelj. 

In  addition  to  apprehension  on  account  of  our- 
selves, we  suiFered  much  from  anxiety  for  our  small 
force  on  the  Texan  frontier.  All  our  information 
came,  of  course,  through  Mexican  papers,  and  the 
confidence  with  which  they  spoke  of  overwhelming 
our  small  force,  caused  us  to  feel  much  uneasiness 
as  to  the  result  of  the  first  conflicts. 

At  half  past  three,  in  the  morning,  we  took  our 
leave  of  Guadalaxara.  Our  diligences  were  good 
Troy-built  coaches;  the  horses  and  mules  in  fine 
order,  and  the  coachmen  possessed  of  skill  and 
dexterity.  Originally,  the  coachmen  were  all 
Yankees,  as  our  countrymen  are  all  called  in 
Mexico;  but  now  they  are  Mexicans,  who  have 
grown  up  on  the  road,  and  among  the  coaches  and 
horses;  and  it  is  somewhat  amusing  to  see  the 
amalgamation  they  have  made  of  Mexican  costume 
with  that  of  our  stage  drivers.  The  universal 
Mexican  seraph  has  given  way  to  the  box  coat; 
but  the  split  leg,  button-decorated  pantaloons  hold 
their  place;  and  a  bright-colored  handkerchief, 
tied  over  the  throat  and  chin,  seems  a  representa- 
tive of  the  woolen  scarf,  so  generally  worn  by  our 
drivers  in  cold  weather. 


SAN  JOSE.  371 

The  fondas  are  regulated  by  a  system  extending 
along  the  whole  route,  prescribing  what  shall  be 
given  for  meals,  the  hours,  and  the  charges. 
These  rules  also  direct  that  every  passenger  shall 
be  furnished  with  clean  sheets  and  pillow  cases, 
which  no  one  has  used  since  washing ;  and  that  all 
may  understand  their  rights,  every  fonda  has  a 
card  of  these  regulations,  suspended  in  a  conspicu- 
ous place.  The  hours  of  travel  are  from  three  or 
four  in  the  morning,  to  the  same  hour  in  the  after- 
noon. 

Our  first  day's  journey,  was  over  a  desolate- 
looking,  rolling,  table  land,  in  many  places  rocky; 
the  soil  a  stiff,  blue  clay,  here  and  there  broken  by 
the  plough  and  ready  for  corn,  but  the  general  face 
of  the  country  presented  a  short,  dry-looking 
grass.  The  road,  thanks  to  nature!  was  generally 
good,  but  where  she  had  left  any  imj)ediment8,  art 
had  disdained  to  remove  them;  and  in  some  places, 
for  short  distances,  our  strongly  built  coaches  had 
terrible  encounters. 

Over  thi#y  leagues  of  such  a  country,  by  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  reached  the  wretched 
little  hamlet  of  San  Josd;  and  the  diligence  coming 
in  the  opposite  direction,  it  was  determined  to  await 
its  arrival,  before  having  our  dinner  served.     The 


372  ROBBERS. 

day  was  drawing  to  a  close,  and  the  sun  having 
set,  leaving  San  Josd  and  the  desolate  country 
around  it  to  the  gloom  of  approaching  night,  when 
the  expected  stage  rattled  into  the  courtyard.  One 
solitary  passenger  leaped  from  it,  with  his  dress 
loose  and  disordered.  His  trunk  being  taken  from 
the  boot,  and  thrown  upon  the  ground,  he  gave  it 
a  kick  of  indignation  and  contempt,  which  betrayed 
its  lightness  and  emptiness;  and  we  now  learned 
that,  while  we  had  been  awaiting  his  arrival  to 
dinner,  he  had  been  lying  under  the  coach,  with 
his  mouth  to  the  ground,  and  a  carbine  at  his  head, 
at  the  same  time  a  party  of  robbers  were  appro- 
priating his  property.  They  stripped  him  of 
everything,  even  to  his  suspender  buckles;  made 
minute  inquiries  as  to  who  and  what  he  was,  where 
he  was  born;  and  concluded  the  conference  by 
beating  him  with  their  swords.  The  robbers — 
three  in  number — were  masked. 

The  minuteness  of  their  inquiries  caused  us  to 
feel  some  apprehension,  lest,  in  case  of  ascertaining 
our  nationality,  they  might  think  they  rendered 
the  state  some  service  by  leaving  two  Yankees  less 
in  the  world.  No  choice  was  left  us,  in  case  of  an 
attack,  but  to  fight.  A  council  of  war  was  at  once 
held,  to  which  ^r  Mexican  servant  was  invited, 


ROBBERS.  373 

and  he  assured  us  of  his  ability  and  willingness  to 
handle  a  gun.  In  addition  to  the  arms  in  our 
possession,  two  fowling-pieces  were  loaned  us  by 
the  manager  of  the  fonda.  It  being  more  than 
probable  that  the  robbers  were  from  the  village 
itself,  and  had  their  agents  about  us  at  this  time, 
we  gave  some  little  publicity  to  our  preparations; 
and  I  discharged  and  reloaded  a  Colt's  pistol  in 
the  presence  of  this  respectable  public. 

Having  made  these  preparations,  and  arranged 
our  plan  of  defence  in  case  of  attack,  at  four 
o'clock  in  the  morning  we  started,  and  traveled, 
for  two  or  three  hours,  finger  on  trigger ;  getting 
along  so  far  without  interruption,  our  uneasiness 
somewhat  subsided,  and  we  made  the  day's  journey, 
much  to  our  satisfaction,  in  safety. 

Throughout  most  of  this  day,  the  country  was 
very  much  the  same  as  that  of  yesterday — desti- 
tute of  population,  water,  or  any  growth,  but  the 
national  napal,  or  prickly  pear,  and  a  few  strag- 
gling acacias.  It  was  quite  a  refreshing  change 
when,  late  in  the  afternoon,  we  came  upon  a  fine 
valley-prairie,  watered  by  a  small  stream,  and 
covered  with  waving  wheat-fields,  ready  for  the 
harvest. 

Gur  stopping-place  for  the  night  was  at  Lagos — 
32 


374  ARRIVAL  AT  GUANAJUATO. 

rather  a  neat  place,  with  the  usual  share  of  enor- 
mous churches.  From  Lagos,  our  road,  on  the 
following  morning,  continued  through  the  same 
beautiful  prairie  and  wheat-fields  lipon  which  we 
had  entered  the  preceding  evening ;  and  such  was 
the  character  of  the  country  until  our  arrival,  in 
the  afternoon,  at  the  mining  town  of  Guanajuato. 

This  city  has  a  very  picturesque  situation,  climb- 
ing up  the  sides,  and  over  the  summits,  of  a  range 
of  hills;  the  streets  being  exceedingly  intricate 
and  precipitous. 

For  miles,  before  reaching  the  city,  we  were 
passing  a  succession  of  immense  establishments 
for  reducing  the  metals  from  the  ore.  Viewed  from 
one  of  the  neighboring  elevations,  Guanajuato  pre- 
sented the  appearance  of  a  separate  town  on  each 
hill,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  see ;  a  church  crowning 
each  summit. 

At  the  dinner-table  of  the  hotel  we  were  joined 
by  a  stage  load  of  passengers,  who  had  come  from 
the  opposite  direction,  and  who,  more  unfortunate 
than  ourselves,  had  been  thoroughly  robbed  on  the 
preceding  evening.  As  the  robbers  who  attack 
these  diligences  are  generally,  if  not  always,  resi- 
dents of  the  place  near  which  the  crime  is  com- 
mitted, and  have  made  themselves  acquainted  with 


MORE  ROBBERS.  375 

the  number  and  character  of  the  passengers,  they 
proportion  their  numbers  accordingly.  In  the  first 
instance,  where  there  was  but  one  passenger,  we 
have  seen  there  were  three  robbers ;  in  this  case 
there  were  eight;  and,  not  feeling  it  necessary  to 
go  far  or  to  take  much  trouble  in  the  matter,  they 
had  robbed  this  stage  in  sight  of  the  gates  of  the 
city  of  Queretaro — a  place  of  twenty  thousand  in- 
habitants— and  did  not  take  even  the  precaution  of 
masking  themselves.  On  the  following  day,  one  of 
the  robbers,  near  the  door  of  our  hotel,  asked  a 
gentleman,  whom  he  had  relieved  of  his  watch  and 
purse,  for  the  light  of  his  cigar.  Upon  expressing 
my  surprise  that  he  did  not  arrest  him  at  once,  he 
informed  me  that  no  one  acquainted  with  the  coun- 
try would  take  the  trouble  of  denouncing  a  robber. 
To  do  so  would  take  nothing  from  the  impunity  of 
the  criminal,  and  might  risk  the  assassination  of 
the  informer.  There  seems  to  be  a  sort  of  conven- 
tion between  the  stage-coach  travelers,  in  Mexico, 
and  these  knights  of  the  road.  In  the  first  place^ 
it  is  understood  that  the  driver  is  always  to  re- 
main neutral,  to  rein  up  at  the  bidding  of  the  free- 
booters, and,  in  consideration  of  this  compliance, 
he  is  to  go  free.  Secondly,  the  passengers,  if  they 
alight  readily,  and  lie  down  under  or  near  the  coach 


376  MORE  ROBBERS. 

with  their  mouths  in  the  dust,  are  to  be  treated  in 
all  other  respects  politely,  and  relieved  of  their 
valuables  ■without  violence  or  harm  to  their  persons ; 
but  if  they  resist,  and  are  overcome,  all  are  to  be 
murdered,  and,  if  their  resistance  is  successful,  re- 
taliation is  taken  from  the  next  persons  caught  on 
the  road. 

Soon  after  leaving  Guanajuato,  we  passed  from 
the  rugged  mountain  region  in  which  it  is  located, 
to  a  continuation  of  the  fertile  valley  through  which 
we  had  traveled  on  the  preceding  day;  and  along 
this  valley  we  traveled  our  whole  day's  journey  of 
forty  leagues,  passing  through  several  pretty  towns 
of  five  or  six  thousand  inhabitants,  and  arriving 
in  the  evening  at  the  handsome  city  of  Queretaro. 

Just  before  reaching  the  town  of  Celayo,  we  fell 
in  with  a  gang  of  half-naked  peasants,  some  on 
foot,  and  some  on  donkeys,  being  driven  along  by 
a  few  Mexican  soldiers,  to  form  part  of  the  army 
destined  for  Matamoras. 

The  road  being  good  and  level,  this  day's  journey 
was  the  longest  we  had  made.  The  horses  were 
changed  every  ten  or  twelve  miles ;  and  at  these 
changes  it  was  amusing  to  see  the  display  of  the 
national  characteristic,  to  "put  the  best  foot  fore- 
most," and  make  a  parade  and  fuss.     The  fresh 


QUERETARO.  377 

horses,  upon  being  put  in,  were  taught  to  appear 
restive  and  impatient  to  start,  while  hostlers  exerted 
all  their  strength  in  retaining  the  leaders  by  halters; 
but  all  being  ready,  and  the  streets  clear,  the  horses 
sprang  ofiF  at  a  bound,  as  if  broken  from  control, 
the  men  clinging  to  the  halters,  and  being  dragged 
a  few  steps  before  releasing  them,  and  away  the 
stage  rattled  at  full  speed,  which  continued  only  so 
long  as  was  necessary  to  make  an  impression. 

At  Queretaro  we  laid  over  one  day,  being  Sun- 
day ;  and  here,  in  a  Mexican  paper,  we  first  ascer- 
tained the  name  of  the  officer.  Captain  Thornton, 
and  those  of  the  dragoons  who  had  been  captured; 
and  also  learned  the  unhappy  fate  of  Colonel  Cross. 
What  we  should  next  hear,  was  a  matter  of  con- 
stant and  painful  uncertainty. 

As  an  evidence  of  the  facilities  of  Mexican  civil- 
ization, having  occasion,  in  this  handsome  and 
populous  city  of  Queretaro,  to  receive  twelve  cents 
change,  it  was  paid  me  in  four  cakes  of  soap,  stamp- 
ed by  the  government,  as  the  legal  currency  of  the 
country.  Before  leaving  this  place,  on  Monday 
morning,  we  held  a  council  of  all  the  passengers, 
at  our  instance,  for  the  purpose  of  having  an  un- 
derstanding as  to  what  course  we  should  pursue  in 
case  of  an  attack.     Wc  were  eight;  and,  excepting 


378  riGHTING  POLICY  VETOED. 

our  two  selves,  all  were  Mexicans.  One  was  a 
priest,  another  an  infirm  old  man  of  seventy,  and 
two  were  invalids.  Taking  us,  as  was  generally 
the  case,  for  Englishmen,  they  could  not  enter  into 
our  special  motives  for  resistance,  and  we  dare  not 
avow  them ;  and  none  of  them  would,  for  a  moment, 
entertain  the  proposition  of  war.  They  represent- 
ed, that,  if  attacked,  it  would  be  in  force  propor- 
tioned to  our  numbers,  and  that  we  two  alone  were 
armed;  that,  in  case  of  our  success,  we  should  be 
out  of  the  country,  while  some  of  them  might 
travel  the  road  again,  and  pay  the  penalty  of  our 
resistance.  They  even  considered  that  our  huiry- 
ing  away,  might  so  offend  the  delicacy  of  the  rob- 
bers, and  violate  the  conventional  contract  with 
them,  as  to  call  down  their  vengeance  on  our  whole 
party.  One  of  these  persons  had  been  among  those 
robbed  in  the  previous  stage,  and  seemed  to  think 
it  a  matter  of  course. 

The  first  evening  after  leaving  Queretaro,  we 
put  up  at  an  antiquated,  gloomy,  and  prison-look- 
ing fonda,  in  the  courtyard  of  which  was  a  com- 
pany of  soldiers  in  charge  of  a  machine  on  wheels, 
destined  for  the  Rio  Grande,  and  which  greatly  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  our  companions.  A  glance 
was  suflBci^t  to  show  that  it  was  a  camp-forge. 


ARRIVAL  IN  MEXICO.  379 

with  its  bellows  and  anvil,  and  evidently  of  Euro- 
pean or  United  States  workmanship ;  but  a  pomp- 
ous little  lawyer,  who  had  traveled  with  us,  took 
great  satisfaction  in  explaining  to  us  that  it  was  a 
"bomba" — bomb — intended  for  the  destruction  of 
us  North  Americans.  How  he  made  this  out  to 
himself,  or  others,  I  could  not  understand. 

On  the  evening  of  the  second  day,  without  the 
occurrence  of  any  annoying  interruption,  we  were 
rolling  over  one  of  the  causeways  in  the  green  basin 
of  Mexico,  with  the  domes  and  spires  of  the  great 
city  before  us,  and  soon  after,  we  alighted  at  the 
"Casa  de  diligencias,"  or  stage-house  hotel. 

Anxiety  as  to  the  progress  of  the  war  which  had 
burst  upon  us,  and  an  earnest  desire  to  know  some- 
thing of  the  fate  of  our  threatened  forces  on  the 
Rio  Grande,  suspended  the  emotions  with  which  a 
stranger  would  otherwise  enter  a  place  which  has 
been  alternately  the  capital  of  the  Montezumas, 
the  capital  of  Cortez,  and  the  theatre  where  one 
military  chief,  or  bandit,  has  contended  with  another, 
not  for  the  honor  of  his  country,  but  for  the  re- 
ceipts of  the  custom  house. 

At  first,  it  seemed  difficult  to  learn  anything  of 
the  state  of  affairs  on  the  frontier ;  then  we  were 
discouraged  by  a  popular  rumor  that  we  had  been 


380         RESACA  DE  LA  PALMA  AND  PALO  ALTO. 

defeated ;  but  a  fortunate  opportunity  placed  it  in 
our  power  to  learn  all  that  was  known  to  the  Mexi- 
can cabinet  itself,  in  relation  to  the  affairs  on  the 
Rio  Grande;  and  by  this  opportunity,  our  hearts 
were  rejoiced  in  learning,  and  somcAvhat  in  detail, 
and  accurately,  the  events  of  the  battles  of  "Re- 
saca  de  la  Palma,"  and  "Palo  Alto;"  and,  long 
after  the  government  knew  that  it  had  been  entirely 
defeated,  the  newsboys  were  crying  through  the 
streets  accounts  of  the  triumph  of  the  Mexican 
arms.  The  press  dared  publish  nothing  but  what 
Paredes  approved,  but  the  truth  soon  became  pretty 
generally  known ;  and  such  was  the  feeling,  that  we 
had  more  reason,  in  case  of  discovery,  to  fear  pop- 
ular indignation,  than  the  official  action  of  the  au- 
thorities. I  thought  it  would  be  most  prudent  to 
have  all  the  distinctive  marks  of  my  uniform  re- 
moved, and  found  an  Irish  tailor  who  privately 
made  the  necessary  alterations.  Although  our 
presence  was  known  to  Mexicans  who  were  personal 
friends,  what  would  have  been  the  official  course  of 
the  government,  if  it  had  discovered  us,  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  say.  General  Paredes  I  knew  to  be  the 
reverse  of  General  Santa  Anna;  the  former  being 
a  brave,  gallant,  and  generous  soldier ;  a  true  pa- 
triot in  feeling,  if  not  in  judgment,  and  devoted  to 


BEGGARS.  381 

what  he  believed  the  interests  of  his  country  ;  and 
I  should  not  have  feared  injustice  under  his  au- 
thority, if  my  duty  had  not  forbidden  a  voluntary 
surrender ;  but  it  would  be  diflBcult  to  tell  what  his 
sense  of  justice  would  dictate,  if  taken  in  conceal- 
ment. 

Mexico  is  indisputably  a  magnificent  city ;  but, 
as  is  justly  remarked  by  Madam  Calderon,  its  ele- 
gant houses,  without  having  the  dignity  of  ruins, 
induce  the  impression  of  fine  buildings  in  a  state 
of  decay.  Those  accustomed  to  a  different  state 
of  things,  walk  the  city  with  feelings  of  melan- 
choly and  disgust,  at  moving  amid  throngs  of  epau- 
letted  and  laced  soldiers,  in  a  mingled  costume  of 
decoration  and  dirt;  and  at  being  crowded  upon 
by  throngs  of  revolting  beggars,  of  every  age, 
from  infancy  to  decrepitude.  The  population  of 
leperos  and  beggars  is  the  prominently  disgusting 
feature  of  Mexico;  and  along  the  whole  stage 
route,  from  the  Pacific  to  the  Atlantic,  the  traveler 
is  never  released  from  their  sickening  exhibitions, 
and  exacting  importunity.  At  every  stop  made  by 
the  coach,  it  is  surrounded  by  those  wretches, 
thrusting  their  disgusting  deformities  in  your  face, 
and  uttering  piteous  moans.  At  one  place  they 
make   exertions  of    an    extraordinary  character; 


382  BEGGARS. 

Starting  off  with  the  stage,  upon  the  full  run ;  men, 
women  with  infants  on  their  hacks,  young  girls, 
children,  all  keeping  up  a  howling  moan,  with  mar- 
velous strength  and  speed  they  keep  with  the  coach 
for  nearly  a  mile.  This  proceeding  is  induced  hy 
inconsiderate  passengers  tolling  them  on,  making 
gestures  from  time  to  time,  as  if  about  to  drop 
them  something.  Sensibility  becomes  blunted  by 
the  continued  contemplation  of  disease  and  wretch- 
edness, while  charity  is  paralyzed  by  the  conscious- 
ness of  its  limited  power  to  relieve  the  amount  of 
want. 

The  comfort  of  a  stranger  in  the  cities  of  Mexico, 
is  very  much  disturbed  by  the  conviction  that  all 
his  vigilance  will  not  prevent  his  pockets  from  being 
picked,  if  he  deposits  anything  in  them;  an  event 
which  happened  twice  to  my  companion,  in  one 
day,  in  the  capital,  and  twice  I  detected  the  de- 
predator's hand  in  my  own  pocket;  the  third  time 
he  was  successful,  and  it  was  cleaned  out. 

Soldiers  seem  an  essential  part  of  every  institu- 
tion of  the  country.  If  the  host  passes  the  streets, 
and  brings  the  whole  population  to  its  knees,  it  is 
attended  by  soldiers ;  if  you  visit  a  peaceful  scien- 
tific institution,  a  soldier  examines  your  right  to 
admission.      He  forms,  however,  an  appropriate 


MEXICAN  MISERIES.  383 

sentinel,  for  scientific  institutions,  with  pretending 
names,  display  little  else  than  disorder  and  neglect. 

The  state  of  general  ignorance  may  be  gathered 
from  that  of  those  who  should  be  the  receptacles 
of  knowledge.  Standing  near  a  Franciscan  friar, 
in  the  museum  of  Mexico,  examining  a  model  re- 
presenting a  section  of  some  mines,  glittering  with 
the  metal,  and  filled  with  laborers,  the  good  father, 
noticing  my  earnest  examination  of  it,  graciously 
informed  me,  that  it  was  a  kind  of  representation 
of  the  birth  of  our  Saviour ! 

The  unfavorable  illustrations  so  frequently 
given  of  the  national  religion  of  Mexico,  shpuld 
not  in  justice  be  regarded  as  imputations  upon  the 
Catholic  faith  itself,  any  more  than  the  republican- 
ism of  Mexico  is  to  be  considered  a  fair  represen- 
tation of  republicanism  in  general. 

During  my  detention  in  the  city  of  Mexico,  I 
rode  alone  over  to  the  castle  of  Chapultepec,  and 
the  oflScer  on  duty  giving  me  permission  to  enter, 
kindly  sent  a  cadet,  a  young  German,  to  accom- 
pany me  through  it.  This  person  was  exceedingly 
inquisitive,  and  seemed  determined  to  ascertain  my 
nationality.  After  supposing  me  to  be  a  German, 
and  a  Frenchman,  he  said,  "  you  arc,  then,  an  En- 
glishman."  I  replMd,  somewhat  annoyed,  "  I  speak 


384  LEAVE  MEXICO. 

English."  This  seemed  to  settle  the  matter  be- 
tween us;  and  he,  with  much  politeness,  conducted 
me  over  the  institution.  The  castle  being  used  as 
a  polytechnic  school,  I  felt,  with  much  uneasiness, 
that,  in  case  of  arrest,  this  circumstance  would  ad- 
ditionally embarrass  my  situation;  and  it  was  with 
much  satisfaction  that  I  found  myself,  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  27th  of  May,  rolling  in  the  diligence 
out  of  the  city  of  Mexico,  before  daylight. 

The  dangers  of  the  road,  between  Mexico  and 
Vera  Cruz,  were  much  greater  than  those  of  any 
part  we  had  yet  passed  over.  In  view  of  this,  I 
enclosed  a  statement  of  such  matters  as  I  sup- 
posed might  be  of  use  to  our  government,  to  a 
foreign  house  in  Vera  Cruz,  under  cover  to  a 
friend  in  the  United  States ;  requesting  the  Vera 
Cruz  house  to  forward  the  paper,  if  not  called  for 
in  a  few  days. 

A  small  guard  of  mounted  soldiers  accompanied 
the  stage  out  of  the  city,  and  continued  with  it 
long  enough  to  justify  them  in  asking  a  contribu- 
tion from  the  passengers,  for  the  protection  afforded. 
Soon  after  their  departure  another  guard  joinec 
us,  and  after  a  short  distance  demanded  a  simila] 
contribution;  in  this  manner,  one  relieved  anothe; 
along  the  whole  route,  taxing  our  pockets,  leaving 


LEAVE  MEXICO.  385 

US  much  of  the  time  alone,  and  affording  no  sense 
of  security,  when  with  us.  During  one  entire  day 
we  traveled  in  the  midst  of  a  company  of  dragoons, 
on  their  way  to  the  wars. 

At  Perote,  I  met  a  friend  with  whose  presence 
just  at  that  time  I  could  well  have  dispensed.  Our 
stage  had  arrived  at  the  fonda  some  little  time  be- 
fore that  coming  in  the  opposite  direction,  and  as 
I  stood  in  the  courtyard,  watching  the  passengers 
alight  from  the  latter,  I  was  surprised  to  see  among 
them  a  Mexican  officer,  with  whom  I  had  been  in- 
timate in  California.  I  knew  him  to  be  a  liberal 
and  kind-hearted  man,  but  was  unwilling  to  impose 
upon  him  the  responsibility  of  knowing  my  pre- 
sence, and  therefore  retired  at  once  from  view. 
At  dinner,  I  seated  myself  remotely  from  him,  and 
■was  about  to  leave  the  table  before  the  rest  of  the 
company,  when,  at  the  same  moment,  he  arose;  our 
eyes  met,  and  we  rushed  into  each  others*  arms. 
He  made  no  inquiries  as  to  what  brought  me  there, 
or  where  I  was  going;  nothing  was  said  in  relation 
to  our  respective  countries,  excepting  that  he  told 
me  he  was  on  his  way  to  Matamoras. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  30th  of  May,  the 
sound  of  the  Atlantic  surf  indicated  our  approach 
to  Vera  Cruz,  and  before  sunrise  wc  had  passed 
33 


386  ESCAPE  THE  COUNTRY. 

the  gates  of  the  city.  The  next  step,  was  to  get 
out  of  it  as  soon  as  possible.  Some  of  our  ships 
were  lying  down  at  Isla  Verde,  and  one  was  under 
sail  cruising  off  the  harbor  ;  while,  from  the  castle 
of  San  Juan  de  Ulloa,  a  flag  was  flying,  indicating 
the  presence  of  an  enemy.  The  papers  sent 
through  the  post-office  were  safely  returned  to  me. 
Our  arrival  having  been  expected,  arrangements 
had  been  made  for  us  to  go  off  in  a  boat  of  a 
neutral  power.  A  gentleman  of  the  place  adopted 
our  baggage,  until  it  was  in  the  boat.  This  boat 
was  required,  before  returning  to  the  ship  to  which 
she  belonged,  lying  at  Sacrificios,  to  visit  a  vessel 
of  her  nation,  lying  immediately  under  the  castle 
wall,  where  we  were  detained  an  hour;  and  soon 
after  leaving  this,  the  oarsmen  placed  us  beyond 
all  apprehensions  of  Mexican  castles  and  prisons; 
— on  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day  in  which  we 
had  reached  Vera  Cruz,  we  were  under  way  for 
the  United  States,  on  board  of  one  of  her  armed 
steamers. 


THE     END. 


)9 


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